Don't let me go
by InvisibleSmile
Summary: This story picks up where the original Film left off. Follow Judy & Nick through their journey of friendship, love, passion, misunderstandings, investigations, broken hearts, secrets and lies. Rated M for mild sexual themes, strong language and violence in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

**I couldn't keep myself from writing a Zootopia fanfic. **

**Judy & Nick are just so adorable and I am literally obsessed with the movie. I ship them so hard, holy crap.**

**However, I hope you enjoy the story. It's filled with humour, love and giggles, but it'll be having a really dark side as well. **

**Don't be disappointed - you've been warned! Anyone who likes fluffy romance with a hint of passion and sudden plot twists is welcome to read. xoxo**

* * *

The concert was over, to Nick's relief. Not like he didn't like Gazelle, he just wasn't into that kind of music. He was wearing his typical smug grin as he looked down at Judy, who was walking beside him, still singing the song. They were on their way home, Judy asked Nick to bring her home, since it was already dark outside und the streets were mostly empty.

"How often are you going to make me listen to that cheesy song?" he asked playfully, his grin widening as she looked up to him.

"Over and over and over! Until you get the message, you're a dumb fox after all, maybe you don't understand the meaning." she teased him with a sly grin. He snickered at her remark and looked forward, his paws in his pockets. He looked to his side from time to time, hoping to stay undetected as he watched her jumping and bouncing around, her tiny paws in the air. She was extremely happy and satisfied, which warmed Nick's heart. He sighed blissfully and looked forward again.

"I never knew you're a dancer, though." Judy suddenly threw in and grinned devilishly at him, her violet eyes observing his face to see his reaction. Nick just grinned and slowly turned his head to look at her.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me yet, Carrots."

"I'm sure, like the all them vixens going crazy for your dance moves, huh?" she remarked sarcastically, hiding it behind an innocent grin.

"At least rolling my arms with a sexy smirk will get me more vixens than your jumping around will get you bucks." he shot back, giving her a victorious grin. Judy's expression flattened for a second, but soon she got her composure back.

"I am not really looking for a buck, so jumping around like a lunatic will do, since we bunnies are known for jumping and bouncing, slick Nick." she said with a cheeky smile, never losing eye contact with the fox. He just snickered and straightened his tie.

"We're almost there." Judy said and pointed towards a building. Nick tilted his head slightly, observing the area Judy lived in. This was a criminal area and a little bunny like her couldn't be safe around here. His heartbeat increased a little as he turned to Judy.

"You live... here?!"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just asking. This isn't exactly the right place for a cute, harmless bunny like you." he said slyly, grinning at her. She rolled her eyes sarcastically as she looked up into his green eyes.

"I told you to refrain from calling me cute, fox boy." she grunted with a forced grin.

"Can't help it, Carrots. You bunnies are just too cute to be put in danger." he remarked cheekily, staring right back at her with his trademark grin.

"I am not harmless either, you should be afraid of those teeth of mine and I can also kick very, very hard, so stop messing with me, you savage fox." she said and punched his arm playfully. He chuckled in return and nodded.

"Yeah, don't wanna get eaten by a cute bunny, that would ruin my reputation."

"Nick!" she groaned in frustation, clenching her tiny fists. She looked at him as angry as she could, but soon her features softened as he kept smiling at her. She couldn't help but laugh at herself.

"Told ya', too cute." Nick teased. She rolled her eyes and they strolled towards her apartment building.

Infront of it they stopped and turned towards eachother. Judy looked up at him with pointed ears, as he kept looking around, checking every inch out. She bit her lip and sighed happily.

"Thank you for bringing me home and most importantly, thank you for helping me solve the case. You helped me so much and I am really grateful for that." she said and gave him a sincere and lovely smile. He turned his head to look at her, his expression somewhat emotionless for a second, before he returned her kind smile and nodded.

"It was my pleasure, officer Hopps. Never thought working with a bunny could be that much of a thrill. I am actually looking forward to being a cop." he admitted with a smug grin. Judy chuckled.

"See you on Monday at the ZPD... partner." she said, offering him another sweet smile before she went inside. She turned around to look at him once more, waiting for a response. He looked at her with a cute grin and nodded.

"Don't party too hard this weekend or you'll be hungover at work. Chief buffalo butt wouldn't like that." he taunted and chuckled heartily at her flattening expression. She sighed with a grin.

"Same goes for you, don't make the vixens go too crazy."

"Oh, but I can't help it, it's just natural." he remarked with a dirty wink, which had Judy twitch her nose at him in a slightly disgusted way.

"You're going too far into detail, slick Nick."

"I knew a cute little bunny couldn't take it." he breathed out with a smug grin, while turning around. "See ya', Carrots."

Judy growled loudly as she watched him disappear into the night. As he was gone her growl faded and turned into a sigh, followed by a warm smile. She closed the door and went upstairs into her apartment, preparing dinner. Afterwards she watched a show on TV and then went to sleep.

* * *

Nick walked down the streets with his hands behind his back and took a few deep breaths. His whole life was about to change, thanks to a little bunny that grew up on a carrot farm. He never thought life had something like this in store for him, but he wasn't disappointed. She was the first female creature that could keep up with his attitude, without thinking too much of it - or at least he thought so. In fact, she kept firing back the same way he did, basically feeding him with his own medicine from time to time, which was a welcomed thrill for him. He never thought a bunny could take his humor and his flirtatious ways, but she put up with it. He sighed blissfully at the thought of having found a friend and partner in crime. Though right now he needed some guy time with his friend Finnick, who was already waiting at a bar.

Nick entered the bar with his typical grin, his hands thrown into his pockets, as he made his way over to a booth where Finnick was sitting, enjoying the company of two attractive vixens, obviously sisters. Nick sat down at the empty side of the booth and gave Finnick a mischievous grin.

"Enjoying yourself, I see." he remarked sarcastically.

"I could say the same, since you're a real cop now, huh?" Finnick answered, giving Nick a mocking grin. Nick leaned back against the booth and put his hands behind his head.

"I did not anticipate or expect it, but being a cop is really cool."

"Oh lord, are you really a cop?" one of the vixens asked him, resting her elbows on the table to get a better view of him, her dark blue eyes focused on him. Nick raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly.

"Uh, yeah. Why?"

"That is so sexy. I always wanted to get arrested by a handsome cop like you." she said and flashed him a flirtatious smile. Her sister giggled at that. Nick looked somewhat dumbfounded for a second, but collected himself soon. He straightened his tie once again and cleared his throat, awkwardly avoiding eye contact. He was quite a flirt, but when things got serious he usually backed out.

"Uh, well, if you commit a crime or do a punishable offense, I just might. But right now I'm off duty." he answered coldly, yet grinning cheekily.

"Would it be a crime to get the officer something to drink?" she asked, flashing her lashes at him. This caught him a bit off guard and he got a little nervous, but tried to hide it. Again, he cleared his throat.

"Uh, sure."

"Whiskey." Finnick threw in. "He likes Whiskey on ice."

The vixen nodded and gave Nick a satisfied grin, before she stood up to order a Whiskey.

"Finnick, what the hell?" Nick asked in a reproachful tone, his ears a little droopy.

"Hey, you have to celebrate being a cop now. You won't be having much time to drink and have dirty one night stands. That time's soon gonna be over, so let's make the best out of tonight." Finnick said plainly, shrugging. Nick could feel his ears getting hot at Finnick's remarks, especially as the vixen beside Finnick started giggling hysterically.

Nick swallowed hard and stared outside the window to avoid awkward topics like this. Soon the vixen came back and offered him his glass of Whiskey, which he took in one of his hands with a friendly nod. She sat down beside him, which made him a little uneasy. She was gorgeous with her smoky black fur and white markings, those big dark blue eyes and long lashes. Nick backed away towards the window a little, taking a sip of his strong Whiskey.

"Don't like me near you?" she asked with a hint of sadness in her tone, as she noticed that he had backed away from her. Finnick rolled his eyes at his nervous 'brother'.

"Get yourself together, man." he said in an edgy tone and glared at Nick.

"No, no, no! I was just trying to get a better view on what's happening outside, you know. As a cop you gotta watch your neighborhood." Nick said with a sheepish grin.

"I thought you're off duty?" she replied, crossing her arms with raised eyebrows.

"I sure am, but still ... in case someone needs my help, you know."

"Such a good hearted soul." Finnick remarked sarcastically and chuckled at his own comment. Nick glared at Finnick shortly, then looked back at the vixen.

"I never caught your name." Nick said quickly to change the topic.

"It's Lizzy." she replied with a cute smile and offered him her paw. He stared blankly at it for a second before taking and shaking it.

"Officer Nick Wilde."

Suddenly there was a loud laughter from the other side of the booth, as Finnick was laughing heartily. Nick stared at him in an annoyed way.

"Already introducing yourself as an officer, take it slow, Nicky." Finnick barked through his laughter. Nick squeezed his eyes shut and growled inwardly, but decided to let it go. As someone squeezed his paw his eyes shot open and he realized he was still holding Lizzy's paw in his.

"Pleasure to meet you." she said, before finally letting go. Nick felt his ears drooping, as they were getting hot again. This was hella odd. He decided to get over it by drowning in his Whiskey, so he gulped it and ordered another one.

After a few drinks he started to relax and leaned against his booth, talking to Lizzy in a calm way, finally able to flirt the way he always did. If only Judy knew how bashful he actually was on the inside.

"So, how long have you been a cop?" Lizzy asked as she smiled at Nick, already a little tipsy from the wine she was drinking. Nick chuckled and turned towards her, one arm resting on the table, the other arm resting on the booth.

"Only a day, actually." he admitted with a smug grin, that made her giggle.

"Oh, that must be exciting. As far as I know there has never been a fox at the ZPD, since they claim that predators like us are untrustworthy."

"Believe me, I know. There has never been a bunny at the ZPD either, but it was actually that bunny that helped me to get a job there." he said as he started to hiccup.

"Oh, that grey hero bunny? She is your partner?" Lizzy asked, looking a little surprised.

"Yeah."

"Working with a bunny? As a fox? Ain't that annoying? I mean, mammals in Zootopia can be pretty judgemental." she said, trying to hide the disgust in her tone. She wasn't very fond of bunnies, especially not if they worked together with this handsome officer she just laid her eyes on.

"I don't really care. She is cool and actually very smart. Made me change the view on my life. And there's nothing to be judgemental about, she's a cop, I am a cop, we work together, that's not really a crime." Nick replied, never losing his grin or his cool posture. Lizzy smiled at him and nodded.

"No, but I am sure she'll fall head over heels for you, I mean, just look at you." she said as she ran a finger down his chest. He watched her finger slide down his shirt and then looked deeply into her eyes, getting a lustful gaze from her in return.

"She is a bunny, I am a fox. Not only that we aren't the same species, I am a predator and she is not. There is no way that could ever happen." Nick reassured her with a sly grin.

"That means there's more for me?"

"All for you." Nick whispered seductively, as someone cleared their throat across from them. Nick looked at Finnick and raised his eyebrows.

"Get a room." Finnick scoffed and rolled his eyes. Suddenly Nick lost all his cool as he realized what he was doing and came to a straight position, staring at Finnick, his hands on the table clenched onto that glass of Whiskey infront of him. Lizzy looked quite puzzled at his sudden change of attitude, but decided to play along.

Finnick facepalmed and sighed loudly.

"I didn't mean to interrupt, this was just getting a lil' too frisky for me." Finnick remarked.

"I-I don't ... know what ... what came over me." Nick stuttered as he turned to look at Lizzy. "I am sorry if I was being too forward." he added, his palms getting sweaty.

"Why so nervous? You did nothing wrong." she reassured him, placing a paw on his shoulder to calm him down. Nick felt his ears heat up again, what was wrong with him? There was this ravishing vixen that obviously wanted to go home with him and he was slurring all his words, behaving like a teenager. Maybe it was the lack of sleep.

"I just feel ... really tense after solving one of the biggest cases in history, it was one big adventure, so I am still a bit giddy. I will calm down eventually." Nick explained nervously, grinning at the pretty vixen, who smiled back at him.

"No need to be shy around me. I will get you another glass and wait until you're fully relaxed." she said and without waiting for a response she snatched his glass away and went towards the bar. Nick looked helplessly at Finnick, his eyes opened widely. Finnick sighed and glared at Nick.

"You've never been out with such an enticing vixen before, Nick. Get yourself together, this is a one time chance. How could you picture a better way to celebrate into your new life? Grab the bull by its horns and stop hesitating, it's not like you're cheating on someone other than your right paw." Finnick stated and after rolling his eyes, Nick nodded reluctantly.

'I have nothing to lose.' Nick told himself and got into a self-confident position and smirked at Lizzy as she approached the table with two glasses of alcohol.

* * *

They kept drinking a bit as they finally left the bar together and stumbled down the streets, towards Nick's apartment. They kept telling eachother dirty jokes and laughed. Nick was feeling quite comfortable around this pretty creature, just like he felt around ... damn.

Nick struggled to get the key into the lock and in an attempt to help him Lizzy stumbled and grabbed Nick by his collar to keep balance. As they stood so close by eachother, she kissed him passionately, leaving him bewildered for a moment, before he gave in and kissed back. He pulled away after some time and opened the door. They got inside and Lizzy immediately vanished into his bathroom. Nick closed the door behind him and leaned against it, sighing deeply. He felt so oddly unsure about this, though he couldn't lay a finger on it why he was feeling this way.

The beautiful vixen came out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but her lingerie. Nick's eyes widened at the pleasant view infront of him and he started panicking internally, but tried to keep his cool.

"You're still dressed?" she asked playfully and placed herself on the edge of Nick's bed. He slowly approached her and swallowed hard.

"Uh, yeah, uh, I am a little cold." he lied timidly through his teeth, never breaking the gaze with her. She chuckled in return.

"I'll make you warm. Get rid of those old-fashioned clothes, big boy." she teased and started moving her bushy tail seductively.

In the split of a second Nick was fully undressed, letting her stare at his now nude body. She tilted her head and Nick felt his ears and muzzle burning. He was too drunk for this shit and totally embarrassed, but tried to hide his insecurities behind a sexy smirk, like usual.

"Hm, I was hoping you'd be more excited, but we're about to change that." Lizzy breathed passionately, making Nick take a look downwards, where everyone seemed to be asleep. He now felt his whole body getting tense and covered his manhood with his paws, he was probably making a fool out of himself right now, but he felt too dizzy to think rational.

Lizzy made her way over to him and smashed her lips against his, making him lose balance. They both fell to the floor, Lizzy landing on top of him, which didn't break her kiss. Moments later the confused red fox kissed her back, feeling nothing while doing so. She then stood up and grabbed his chest fur harshly to pull him towards the bed. He followed unwillingly. Standing infront of the bed the pushed him onto it.

"Damn, you're hard to please." she whispered hastily into his ear, as she started nibbling his neck. Nick groaned at her soft nibbles, but his mind was still off the track. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate, but suddenly he felt some sort of sensation, started feeling woozy and passed out on the bed.

Lizzy looked at his lifeless body, shook him a few times, but realized that nothing was going to happen tonight. She grunted as she grabbed Nick's boxers to cover his manhood with it. She went to the other side of the bed, sighed and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Sunday, Nick woke up due to a knock on his door. He opened his eyes and felt a throbbing pain in his head. He rubbed his eyes and slowly got up. He looked around the room and spotted his clothes on the ground. He facepalmed as the memory of the last night came back. He wasn't sure whether they did 'it' or not, that was a part he couldn't quite remember, but he doubted that he would've been able to please anyone in that state he was in last night. He wondered why he drank THAT much. He looked around the room and it seemed that Lizzy was gone, since she was nowhere to be seen. He sighed and slowly got up, put his boxers on and went to open the door.

As he did so he looked into widely opened violet eyes. Infront of him stood Judy, holding a box of pizza. For a moment Nick froze, since he was wearing nothing but boxers, but soon decided to tease Judy with it.

Judy stood infront of Nick, utterly shocked, she never wished to see that much of him, though she was surprised he looked quite well under his shirt. She stared at him with her mouth opened, not able to say a word.

"Like what you see, Carrots?" Nick finally spoke, leaning against the doorframe with the dirtiest grin anyone could imagine. Judy shook her head and chuckled awkwardly, facing the floor.

"I... um... sorry, I didn't... uh... I didn't expect to see you like this." she said with droopy ears, feeling her cheeks getting hot. Nick snickered and crossed his arms, enjoying himself as he kept teasing the innocent bunny.

"Oh, admit it. You only came here to stare at me."

"No, not really. I came here to bring you pizza. After all you've done for me, I wanted to give something back to you. I figured you'd be hungover today, so I decided to bring you something to eat." Judy admitted, offering a sweet, yet uncomfortable smile as she slowly looked up into his eyes. Nick couldn't help but smile at the sincere gesture.

"That's too cute, officer Hopps. I really had too much drink last night, you're a miracle." he admitted and snickered. "Let me just put my shirt on, I don't wanna distract you cute little bunny too much." he added with a wink and went into the bedroom. He came back wearing a black T-Shirt, but still only boxers. Judy gave him an annoyed look.

"You like to push the limits, huh?" she asked with an eyeroll.

"No, I like to push cute bunnies around."

"Seriously..."

"Ok, ok, I'll stop, but only 'cause you've brought pizza." Nick finally gave in with a smug grin as he grabbed the pizza and turned around to walk inside. Judy, still standing on his doormat, just watched him, not moving an inch. She could smell that something was odd about his apartment. It could've been the alcohol, but it could've also been pheromones. Nick glanced over his shoulder and looked at Judy, who seemed to be puzzled.

"What's wrong? Come inside." he said. He watched her closely and saw her nose twitching, just then he remembered what it must smell like... he had a horny vixen over last night and he must have smelled like her. He mentally scolded himself for not taking a shower first, but tried to hide it from Judy.

"Uh, actually-" Judy started, but was cut off by the bathroom door opening. A gorgeous black vixen covered in nothing but a towel entered the livingroom. Judy's eyes widened in horror as she realized what she had walked into. Nick nearly choked on his own breath and immediately looked to Judy, who took a few steps backwards.

"Judy, it's not-" but Nick couldn't finish. Judy suddenly turned away and covered her eyes with her tiny paws.

"I didn't mean to disturb! I am so sorry! Enjoy your pizza." she stammered, slammed the door shut and ran out of the building.

"WAIT!" Nick called out, but she was already gone. He growled and drooped his ears, this was nothing he wanted Judy to see. It was none of her business, but it still felt awfully wrong.

Lizzy looked puzzled as she kept looking at the door, then at Nick, then at the door again and then at Nick again.

"Did I miss something?" she asked with her eyebrows raised. Nick sat down on the couch and cupped his head in his hands with a loud sigh.

"Why are you still here?" he asked coldly, not even looking at her.

"Oh, I remember last night you wanted me over desperately and now you want me to leave?!"

"Sort of."

"Because of a freaking bunny? You serious?" she snapped, her tone increasing volume. Nick finally looked up at her with a scowl all over his face.

"This has nothing to do with her being a bunny. She is my partner and shouldn't see me in situations like this. It's awkward." he grunted back.

"So, if she's nothing more than a working partner, why is she showing up at your door this early with a fucking pizza? Is she trying to corrupt you? Wanting to get in the pants of a predator?" Lizzy hissed, her paws placed on her hips. Nick stared at her blankly for a short moment, before snarling loudly.

"GET THE FUCK OUT AND DO NOT EVER TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT AGAIN!" he growled viciously, making Lizzy's breath hitch. She clicked her tongue and turned her back on him.

"I see." she whispered, before disappearing into the bathroom again. Nick leaned against his couch and stared out of the window. This was one awful way to start a Sunday. As Lizzy came out of the bathroom again, she was fully dressed and had a dark scowl on her face.

She went straight towards the door, when Nick called her name and she stopped in her tracks, the door handle already in her paw. She looked over her shoulder - she seemed furious. Nick got up and slowly walked towards her.

"One last question - did we... you know?" he asked timidly, hoping she'd say no.

"If we had sex?" Lizzy asked, turning around to face him with crossed arms. "Yes, officer. We did have wild, dirty and reckless sex, all night long, until you passed out. Explain that to your bunny." she snarled, before opening the door and vanishing. She slammed the door so hard, that a few items in Nick's apartment fell from the shelf. He stared at the door in disbelief, he couldn't remember any of it. He pulled on his own ears, feeling even more guilty than before. He walked back towards the couch and dialed Judy's number, but it went straight to voicemail. He sighed and leaned back, mentally scolding himself for bringing himself in such an awkward position.

* * *

**Rough start, I know.**

**But I want you to hang on. **

**Please review & tell me what you think. xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

**I am happy to announce that the first six chapters are already done, but I'll wait with the upload, 'cause first I wanna know what you guys think~**

**Enjoy. xoxo**

* * *

Judy reached her apartment building and took a deep breath before walking inside. Her whole body was tense and her heart was beating faster than she liked it. She went into her apartment and threw herself on the bed lazily, grabbing a pillow to rest her head on it. She groaned loudly as her mind wouldn't stop racing. She was slightly disappointed, though she had no right to be, she couldn't expect everyone to be as innocent as her. She has had relationships, but wasn't the type to bring random mammals home for quick and uncomplicated fun, her heart was too sensitive for that. She wasn't romantically involved with Nick, nor was she planning to, but it still hurt to catch him in a situation like that. She obviously didn't take the vixen joke after the concert as serious as he did. It was no wonder, though. Nick was insanely charismatic and had this ... this unique aura around him. His flirtarious ways and his charming smile got him a lot of attention, so it was clear that one day or another someone would fall for him, but Judy didn't expect it so quickly. She was also worried about that nasty glare the vixen gave her, she didn't seem pleased to see Judy. If this vixen was going to be Nick's girlfriend, maybe he'd want some distance from the grey bunny, though she was no potential danger, since she wasn't interested in Nick. She sighed and got up to check her phone. Two missed calls from Nick. She didn't feel like calling back, she didn't want him to feel like he needed to explain something to her. She had no right to barge into his life and tell him what to do, that was his business, though it left her a little upset. She pushed her phone to the side and hopped inside the shower. After that she decided to take a run to get her mind off of things.

* * *

**Monday morning.**

Judy got up early to reach the ZPD on time. She checked herself in the mirror and felt satisfied with her looks. She marched outside and down the streets. Infront of the massive doors of the ZPD, she spotted Nick leaning against a wall, wearing his dark blue uniform, a cup of coffee in his hands and his sunglasses on. One of his hind legs was rested on that wall, he looked entirely calm. Judy took a deep breath and approached him.

"Morning!" she said happily and smiled at him with pointed ears. Nick almost choked on his coffee, she obviously surprised him. He coughed a few times. He lifted his sunglasses on top of his head and smiled back awkwardly. He had been waiting for Judy here, but seeing her made everything complicated. He had planned an explanation, but forgot everything as soon as he saw her.

"Sorry, Carrots. I dozed off for a sec." he apologized with a timid chuckle.

"No worries, why are you standing outside, though? It is not that warm at this time of the day." she remarked, raising an eyebrow. Nick drooped his ears and tried to avoid eye contact for a moment, but encouraged himself to look into her violet eyes.

"Look, Judy-"

"Since when do you call me that?" she interrupted him with a giggle. She knew exactly what he wanted to say, but she wanted to make him feel easy about it. He did not owe her an explanation and she wanted him to feel that.

Nick groaned and massaged his temples shortly. He sighed and gained back his confidence.

"I am sorry." he said, giving her a pleading and truly guilty look. She tilted her head and grinned cockily.

"There's nothing you have to be sorry for. I shouldn't have showed up, that was insolent and inappropriate to barge into a intimate situation like that." she said, trying to make him feel better. But he just shook his head.

"No, no, no, Carrots, it's not your fault. I didn't know she was still there and I.. I feel horrible. I didn't want you to witness something like that, you must've changed your view on foxes, especially me, now." he replied, his ears drooping at the last sentence. Judy tilted her head and her ears drooped as well. She came a step closer and touched his shoulder with her paw.

"Hey, slick Nick. What did you say after the concert? It's only natural? I can take it, even though I am a bunny. Stop putting me into cottonwool, I am not a baby." she said confidently, offering him a warm smile, which he immediately returned.

"But I thought cute bunnies-"

"I will interrupt you right there, officer Wilde. Stop testing my patience." she warned him playfully, removing her paw. He grinned slyly and felt relieved. He sighed, took another sip of coffee and they both went inside.

If only he knew that Judy was just a good actor.

They both sat down on their chair and waited patiently, until the door opened and Chief Bogo came into view. Nick was still feeling a little tense, mainly because Judy had been awfully quiet since the talk.

"Alright, officers. Today is gonna be a slow day, since nothing too exciting has happened since the night howler case was solved, thanks to the outstanding work of our newest recruits." he said, pointing at Judy and Nick, who both smiled. "However, I want some officers to get some paperwork done and I want some officers patrolling the streets. Hopps, what do you prefer?"

Judy stood silent for a moment, because she couldn't believe that the Chief gave her the option to choose what she'd rather do. She hesitated and thought about it.

"Uh, I would rather keep our streets safe, Sir." she answered with a confused smile. Chief Bogo nodded in agreement.

"I thought so. You and Wilde get in the car then and make me proud." Bogo announced and pointed towards the door. Judy grinned gratefully and hopped off of her chair, soon followed by Nick.

* * *

They went outside and got into the police car, Nick as passenger, Judy as driver. They both fastened their seatbelt, though Judy hesitated before starting the car.

"Something wrong?" Nick asked, a slight concern in his tone. Judy kept her gaze straight forward and inhaled deeply, before turning to Nick.

"The Chief has been awfully nice to me lately, I am afraid to disappoint him." she finally admitted, drooping her large ears behind her head. Nick tilted his head worriedly and just stared at her for a brief moment.

"Why would you think that? You're an amazing officer." Nick said soothingly, sounding sincere. Judy smiled warmly at his remark, although she didn't answer. She started the car and drove down the road.

After a while Nick turned to Judy, lifting his sunglasses behind his ears. One paw was resting on his own knee, whilst the other was hanging out of the opened window loosely.

"Are you okay? Is it because of-"

"No, Nick. I am fine. Please stop worrying. There's just a lot going on inside of a bunny's head." she interrupted him, not looking towards him. She was focused on the road - oddly focused. Nick raised an eyebrow at his partner.

"But you sure do know that you can talk to me, right?" he said with a confused undertone. Judy simply nodded, still not turning towards him. Nick shrugged and put his sunglasses back on, deciding to let it go. He turned on the radio, where 'Animals by Maroon 5' came on. Nick leaned against the seat and sighed.

Judy's posture stiffened as the song started. She heard the very ambiguous lyrics and her head started imagening things she didn't wanna imagine - things about Nick's last night. She choked her own breath, but tried to hide it. Nick looked at her through his sunglasses and noticed how tense she was and noticed a slight blush on her puffy cheeks. He turned off the radio as the second hook ended and lifted his sunglasses again.

"Judy, come on, what's troubling you?" he asked and looked at her with a determined expression. She glanced at him, smiled awkwardly and concentrated back on the road again. Nick raised his eyebrows and watched her.

"Look, this is no fun. If we're going to be partners you need to be honest with me, Hopps. I don't quite know you for 10 years, but I know you long enough to see that something's eating you up. Tell me." he said persistently. Judy sighed and her posture softened.

"That song was good, though a little perverted. Made me a lil' uncomfortable, that's all." she said, but was obviously lying. Nick gave her a bored expression to show that he wasn't buying any of it.

"Carrots, don't make me tickle it out of you." he warned with a smug grin.

"I am driving, Nicholas."

"Oh, playing the 'Nicholas' card now, it must be something serious. Am I about to get arrested, officer?" Nick teased slyly, drilling holes into Judy's head with his persistent stare and that dirty grin of his. Judy started sweating, she wished he'd just stop. She had no idea why the thought of him getting intimate with someone made her feel so ... whimsical. She felt ashamed of herself, she had no right to feel this way.

"Judy?"

Her thoughts suddenly got interrupted and she let out a fake cough.

"Let it go." she scoffed in annoyance. Nick raised his eyebrows.

"Want to drop me off? You seem to have an issue with me, Carrots." he said, sounding serious and slightly offended.

"You foxes... so emotional." Judy teased with a taunting grin, still not looking at him. Nick tilted his head in confusion, but then had to snicker.

"Look what you're doing to me, you're turning me into a bunny!" Nick said hysterically, chuckling. Judy glanced at him with a half-smile, which he returned.

The rest of the day was quiet, except stopping some teenagers from doing vandalism or smoking on the streets, nothing exciting happened. The two officers returned to the ZPD, parked the car and signed out. Judy left the ZPD in a rush and wandered down the streets towards her apartment, even though it was already dark outside.

Nick finished his short talk with Clawhauser and left the ZPD, breathing in the air. He slid his sunglasses inside his chest pocket and looked around, he was searching for Judy, but she was nowhere to be found.

He went down the stairs and checked the sidewalks, they were empty. He called out her name twice, but got no answer. He frantically started running into her apartment's direction and soon he spotted someone dragging their feet across the sidewalk infront of him. It costed him a lot of energy to keep up with her, but as he finally reached her he swung her around with both of his paws and held her shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes.

Judy was startled as someone grabbed her from behind, but soon relaxed as she looked into Nick's green eyes, that were gleaming in the moonlight.

"Carrots, why are you avoiding me?" Nick asked, still a little out of breath.

"You need some exercise, fox." Judy taunted playfully, grinning at the effort he made to catch up with her.

"I do- well, what's wrong?" he asked, letting go of her fragile body, sliding his paws inside his pockets, giving her an impatient, yet friendly look.

"Oh Nick, don't start this topic again. I am a little lost in my own world at the moment, happens a lot, since bunnies are _sooo _emotional. I have personal issues, it has nothing to do with you. I'll be fine. It's too cute how worried you seem to be, though." she replied warmly, offering him a short smile. Nick just stared at her with a blank expression, he still thought this had something to do with what she had witnessed this morning.

"Can we watch a movie at your place and talk?" he suddenly asked, making Judy freeze for a second.

"What? Can't handle a big bad fox in your apartment, Carrots?" he said sassily with a mischievous grin, that made Judy blush.

"Maybe some other day." she stammered and turned on her heel to walk away in a rush, but Nick just swung her around again. He bowed down, so he'd be on the same eye level with her, his paws resting on his knees. He grinned devilishly, making Judy's heartbeat increase a little. She was used to him coming so close to make some dumb joke about bunnies, but this felt different. She took a step back and straightened her posture, looking right back into his eyes. She didn't want him to know that he was actually getting through to her.

"I won't leave you alone, Carrots. I'll turn into some creepy stalker, showing up infront of your window, watching you read some cheesy bunny romance book." he said cheekily, which made Judy roll her eyes. "And I will most likely get to watch you when you shower, so you should really consider telling me." he added with a smug grin and lids halfway closed, staring deeply into her violet orbs. Judy drooped her ears at his last sentence, that was flirting on a new level. She closed her eyes and decided to keep up with him, like she always did.

"I'm sure you'd like that, Slick." she replied with a cocky grin, that caught Nick off guard for a second, but he regained his sassy attitude soon.

"Don't push the buttons, Carrots." he warned playfully with a naughty grin. They were still standing in the middle of the sidewalk, on the same eye level, their faces only inches away from eachother, staring into eachother's eyes in the moonlight - what a cheesy situation. Still, the atmosphere wasn't quite romantic, it was more ... exciting. Judy felt her heart beating even faster, this was something entirely new. He never made her blush before, but she knew he was only hustling, testing how far he can actually go with her. He probably expected her to be some bunny which is easy to confuse or easy to play with, but she was gonna show him that she ain't his toy. She gathered all her courage for the next step, although she was feeling very uneasy, but she wouldn't let it show.

"What if I do, 'big bad fox'?" she asked in a seductive voice, inching a little closer.

That made Nick lose all his composure and he felt his ears getting _really _hot. He came to a straight position and adjusted his tie awkwardly. Surely he hadn't expected this.

"I knew you'd back out." Judy taunted playfully. "It's called a hustle, sweetheart."

Nick was too stunned for words, he wasn't even sure if he was still breathing correctly. He didn't know Judy had ... well ... such a tempting side. He thought she was entirely sweet and innocent, but damn, she knew how to play her cards right.

"Heh, I must admit I wasn't prepared for that. Well played, sly bunny." he admitted with a timid chuckle, trying to regain his calm composure.

"Don't ever think your lowkey wannabe flirting is working on me, dumb fox." she kept teasing, having the feeling of overpowering him.

"Oh, Carrots, you naive bunny. You call that flirting? Then you haven't seen half of it, lady." he replied with his typical smug grin, crossing his arms. Judy rolled her eyes and sighed.

"There surely is no need to show me, Slick. Keep that for your girl." she said with a playful grin. Nick's grin faded slowly at the reminder.

"Carrots-"

"Enough fun for tonight, I really need to get going. I just wanna cuddle my bed." she said with a faked yawn. Nick regained his cocky grin, as he looked at her.

"Why not cuddle me instead of your lousy bed?" he asked with a devilish grin, opening up his arms. Judy could read in his eyes that this wasn't a sincere gesture, he had something planned to pay her back, but she wasn't buying it.

"I am too clever to fall for that one, Slick. Good night." she said coldly, yet grinning victoriously. She punched his arm lightly and smiled. Nick threw his paws back into his pockets and returned her smile.

"Right, enough teasing, cute little bunnies can't handle that much, I got it." he said in a serious tone, though he really had to fight not to chuckle. Judy growled at him and clenched her tiny fists.

"You'll regret that one day, just you wait." Judy warned with a playful grin. "I gotta get going."

"What about that movie?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Sounds fine."

"See you then, Slick." Judy said with a heartwarming smile, before she turned around and left. Nick sighed deeply and watched her for a few moments, before he turned around to walk into the other direction.

That bunny was one of a kind.

* * *

**Short chapter, sowwy.**

**I hope you like it anyway. **


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREEZY!**

* * *

**TUESDAY.**

Another uneventful day came to its end. Judy felt exhausted, since she didn't get much sleep the last night, her head was so full. She hated herself for thinking too much about little things. Nick had been quiet today, kept scrolling through his phone, one or two cocky remarks, that was it. Maybe his head was just as full as hers? She had no clue. After Judy signed out she stood a while at Clawhauser's desk, patiently waiting for Nick, who was speaking with Bogo.

"Gosh Judy, have you heard Gazelle's new song? It's awesome, just like her!" Clawhauser fangirled with a cheesy grin. Judy rolled her eyes with a large smile.

"You should really show me tomorrow." she teased, which made Clawhauser's eyes sparkle like emeralds.

"I would love to! I can already sing along to the lyrics!"

Judy just chuckled heartily at the chubby cheetah, as someone caught her attention. It was Nick exiting Bogo's office. He didn't look pleased.

He walked down the stairs with his hands in his pockets, facing the floor. He walked right past Judy and out of the door. Judy tilted her head and wondered. She said her goodbyes to Clawhauser and ran after Nick.

"Hey, wait up." she called out and he stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around. He had droopy ears and his whole posture looked upset. Judy approached him slowly and walked around him to face him, though he refused to look into her eyes.

"What is wrong?" Judy asked, being sincerely concerned about her partner.

"Nothing, Fluff. Movie?" he asked as he finally looked into her eyes and gave her a warm smile, which made Judy secretly melt. She hadn't seen him smile that sweet since the ceremony.

"Sure, but first I wanna know what's troubling you."

"You didn't tell me yesterday, so I am not telling you either." Nick replied, crossing his arms with a teasing grin. Judy sighed with annoyance and crossed her arms as well.

"Don't try to hustle me, fox."

"Oh, but I am not. Just stating facts." he said dryly, still grinning. Judy rolled her eyes and gestured him to follow her, as she started walking towards her apartment. He chuckled and threw his hands back into his pockets and walked right behind her, secretly watching her back. She had droopy ears and clenched fists, her whole body language seemed tense as she kept strolling forward. Nick snickered from time to time, wearing his smug grin. It seemed like everything she did amused him.

"Stop grinning." she demanded, not even looking at him. She kept marching forward, while Nick stopped in his tracks for a second. He then grinned, adjusted his tie and caught up to her to walk beside her.

"Didn't know you had eyes in the back of your head. My apologies, officer bunny butt." Nick teased cockily, glancing at her. She just frowned and growled silently.

They reached Judy's apartment and went inside. Nick looked around confused, he didn't expect her apartment to be... that small. He looked at the bed and at the TV, both were very small.

"Are you sure that if I sit down on that bed it won't break?" he asked, sounding a little unsure, but he got nothing but a chuckle in return. Judy took off her vest and her belt and threw herself on the bed.

"I am sure it will be able to handle the big bad fox." she teased with a cheeky grin.

Nick took a step towards the bed and grinned mischievously. "Sure it can handle me, but is it able to handle me AND a heavy bunny?" he replied. Judy gave him a dark scowl, to which he snickered delightfully.

"Tell me what you want to watch." Judy said, glancing at him as she sat up into an upright position.

"How kind of you that you're willing to let me choose." he taunted jocularly as he sat down beside her. "How many options do I have?"

"Romance..." Judy's voice trailed off as she looked around the room innocently. "...or Horror." she said as she looked back at him with a devilish grin. Nick raised his eyebrow, as a cocky grin appeared on his muzzle.

"Not sure if cute lil' bunnies can handle horror."

"Not sure if big bad foxes can handle romance."

The room stood silent for a moment, as both looked at eachother, both wearing a naughty grin.

"That's disgusting." another voice suddenly echoed, making both freeze.

"Do you always have to interrupt? Give that bunny some space."

"Oh, shut up."

"No, you shut up."

"You interrupted their moment!"

"No, you did."

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" Judy yelled through her thin walls. "We were not having a moment anyway, so just mind your own business." she added with an annoyed growl. Nick snickered.

"Neighbors?"

"Unfortunately."

"Aw, I think it's cute how they don't respect your privacy at all." Nick taunted playfully with a smug grin. Judy rolled her eyes.

"Before we choose a movie I wanna know what happened at Bogo's office." Judy demanded, turning towards the fox, crossing her legs. Nick glanced at her with a goofy grin.

"No idea what you're talking about, Carrots."

"Niiiick..." Judy breathed in an annoyed tone, closing her eyes.

"Alright, Fluff. Do you care about me?" he asked, sounding serious, yet there was this cocky grin plastered to his muzzle, so Judy opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, of course."

"Then let's make a deal. If you wanna know what's troubling your favorite fox, you tell me what troubled you yesterday first." he suggested with a grin, leaning against the wall behind him with crossed arms.

Judy thought about it for a moment, then sighed and gave in.

"Fine, Slick."

"Well?" he asked with raised eyebrows and a teasing grin. He loved that his plan actually worked.

"Not like the situation I barged into yesterday upset me or anything..." she started, her voice trailing off. Nick's expression got more serious and he slightly drooped his ears. He knew it. "...but the way she stared at me had me feeling a bit uncomfortable. I kept thinking that now that she's your girlfriend she might want you to keep distance from me and well, I was a bit scared, since you're my only true friend around here. It was nothing serious, I got over it by today, just had slight doubts. It's all forgotten now, though." she explained timidly, avoiding eye contact during her small speech. Nick smiled warmly, sometimes this bunny with her big purple eyes melted his heart. He placed one finger under her chin to softly force her to look up at him. She looked at him with slightly upset eyes, watching him smile down at her.

"Oh, Carrots. You're such a dumb bunny." he said with a chuckle, which made her frown. "First of all - she is _not _my girlfriend, that was just for drunk fun. Second of all - no one could ever persuade me to stay away from you. You're the first creature that ever managed to get through to me, which I am grateful for. You have a strong will and a good heart - and you're my precious friend, too. So please get that thought out of that tiny head of yours, will ya?" he said soothingly, never breaking the gaze with her. Judy smiled warmly at his response and nodded.

"Thank you, Nick. I appreciate that." she said, smiling widely. He patted her head a few times and then crossed his arms with a satisfied sigh.

"Well?" she said, perking her ears up with a grin. Nick raised an eyebrow at the sensitive bunny.

"What?"

"Now it's your turn, that was part of the deal, fox." she demanded in a playful tone. He simply chuckled.

"It was an act. I wanted to hear the truth from you."

Judy's eyes widened and she frowned. "So you took advantage of the fact that I care about you?"

"Pretty much." Nick replied cooly with his typical grin.

"Dumb fox." she murmured as she started to pout with crossed arms. He snickered delightfully.

"Oh no, sly fox. Very sly fox." he corrected her. Judy sighed and turned away.

"So, what movie?" she asked slightly annoyed about the fact that he actually managed to hustle her.

"Got any romantic horrors?" Nick teased.

"Most likely no." Judy replied matter-of-factly.

"Well, I'll let you choose. Since you're so emotional, you'll cuddle me either way." Nick taunted with a dirty grin. Judy stared at him with a serious expression, before her face features slowly softened. "You wish." she said and grabbed some random horror movie.

Nick snickered. "Why do you always have to act tough, Carrots?" he asked playfully.

"I _am _tough, fox." she said cooly, pressed play and sat down beside Nick, leaning against the wall behind her as well. Nick stretched his legs out and put his arms behind his head, watching the movie with his smug grin, glancing to the side from time to time to watch Judy's expression, as she was fully focused on the movie.

In the middle of the movie it got intense and scary, so Judy grabbed a pillow and digged her claws into it to keep her composure. Nick watched her and snickered. Watching Judy's scared expression was even more fun than watching the movie.

"So tough." he whispered slyly, grinning at her. She glanced at him and frowned. "Shush." she replied coldly and looked back at the screen. Nick noticed how her tiny paws were holding onto that pillow, slightly shivering. He rolled his eyes with a grin and grabbed Judy by her waist to pull her closer to him. He rested his arm on her shoulder and looked back at the screen. She was slightly puzzled at his reaction and stared at him with droopy ears, her cheeks burning.

"You can burry your head in my chest or cover your eyes with my tie when it gets too scary, Fluff." he said teasingly, not looking at her. She smiled heartily and nuzzled her head against his side and focused back on the movie, she was way calmer now. Nick glanced down at the grey bunny and couldn't help but smile. He sighed deeply and tried his best to concentrate on the movie.

As the movie was finally over, Judy backed away and looked up at the red fox, who seemed slightly tired. He glanced at her and yawned. He stretched his arms and legs and slowly got up.

"So much for being tough, Carrots. You almost shit your pants." he remarked sassily with a smug grin. Judy twitched her nose in anger and got up as well.

"That is _not _true! I was a bit ... shaky ... that's all. But I was just cold!" she replied and pointed at him angrily, to prove her point.

"Glad I could warm you up, bunbun." Nick replied sarcastically with a cocky grin. Judy growled and as she was about to punch his shoulders, she stopped in her tracks and softened with a deep sigh.

"Thank you." she said sincerely, looking at him with a shy smile. Nick raised an eyebrow at her, not sure how to react. He straightened his tie awkwardly and looked around the room.

"No need to get emotional, it was just a movie, Fluff." he said as he cleared his throat. Judy snickered and rolled her eyes playfully.

"Same old, dumb fox."

"You know you love me." he said as he bowed down to reach her eye level with a self-confident grin. Judy shook her head with a large grin.

"Go home, loser. We have work tomorrow."

"I'll just take that as a yes, I guess." Nick said as he got into an upright position again.

"Do as you like, fox butt." she teased with a victorious grin.

"You are one crazy rabbit, Fluff." he said plainly with a sweet smile. She nodded in agreement.

"I concur."

"Night, fluff butt."

"Night, Slick."

With that Nick left her apartment, softly closing the door behind him. Judy went towards her window and watched his retreating figure, which he didn't notice. She sighed and turned around. She had to swallow a squeal, because he made her really happy. It was so much fun having him around. She never expected it could be possible to like a fox that much. Well, not _that _much, but as a really good friend.. at least she hoped so.

* * *

As Nick came home he closed the door behind him and let out a deep sigh. He closed his eyes and thought about Judy's words for a moment. What if she was lying? What if seeing him with someone else hurt her more than she'd like to admit? Although that would basically mean that she feels something more than friendship for him, or wouldn't it? That is beyond impossible, since she's a bunny and he's ... well ... not only a predator, but also a fox, her natural enemy. That wouldn't make any sense. And as for him - no way. Absolutely no way he'd ever hook up with a bunny... though he had never seen such mesmerizing purple eyes on any other animal before. His eyes widened at his own thoughts. He turned around and bumped his head against the door.

"Nicholas Wilde, snap out of it, holy crap." he scolded himself.

He told himself that he needs to view her as a little sister, someone he could rely on. Developing anything beyond that would be irresponsible... unless she- no no no, just no. He growled at his own head.

His unpleasant thoughts got interrupted by his buzzing phone. He picked up and sighed.

"Finnick." he said coldly.

"Yo fox, did someone steal your badge or why so pissed?"

"It's late. What is it?"

"Oh Nicky, something's troubling that ugly head of yours. I can literally smell it."

Nick gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, he wasn't really in the mood to joke around with Finnick.

"Spill."

"Well, your girlfriend is at the bar and she's looking for ya'."

Nick's eyes widened.

"Judy?" he stammered in surprise. There was an awkward silence between the two foxes, until Finnick bursted out in laughter.

"Holy shit, Nicholas. Didn't know you got the hots for bunnies. That is something new."

"I... uh.. I was confused, 'cause I don't.. have a girlfriend and she was the last mammal I saw, t-that's all." Nick replied, feeling humiliated.

"I meant that amazing vixen from Saturday, actually, slow poke. But Judy? Jesus Christ, that image will haunt me tonight, pahahaha."

"Finnick, seriously. I was just confused. She's a freaking bunny. Get over it. What does Lizzy want?" Nick muttered in an frustrated tone.

"She asked for yo' number."

"I'll pass."

"Ooooooooooooooooooh, it all makes sense now!" Finnick suddenly threw in, which made Nick frown, 'cause he knew what was coming next. "Judy was the god damn reason you didn't have the guts to lay that vixen!"

Nick froze and his eyes widened to an insane level. He nearly choked on his own breath, but tried to keep himself together.

"W-What are you t-talking about?"

"She told her sister that you're a flop. Yet she wants your number, Slicky."

Nick's heartbeat increased. "B-But she told me... she... lied?"

"I have no idea, Don Juan."

"That is such a relief." Nick then covered his mouth.

"Uh?"

"I-I mean... just because... uh, I couldn't remember anything and... that would be awkward.. so, uh, now I have a new oppurtunity, hehe~" Nick quickly stammered, hating himself.

"Sure, big boy. Shall I send her to your apartment?"

"Are you insane? I gotta get to work tomorrow."

"Aight, Chief. I'll just set up a date for you then, take care, foxy." Finnick taunted and hung up.

"NO!" Nick yelled into his phone, but Finnick wasn't in the line anymore. Nick growled and threw his phone aside. He hated that he felt the need to prove himself to that little bastard. He sighed and got out of his uniform. It felt like his head was spinning. He had known Judy for such a short period of time and yet he felt the need to impress her, to show that he sincerely cared, even though he had to hide it behind his trademark grin. What was happening to him?! He sighed and let himself fall onto his bed, wondering if he'd get over that confusion anytime soon.

* * *

**Bad Finnick, bad, bad Finnick. **

**BAD BOYS BAD BOYS WHATCHA GONNA DO?! ~ xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**WEDNESDAY.**

Judy and Nick sat in their police car, patrolling the streets. Nick was wearing his sunglasses and looking out of the window, lost in his thoughts, while Judy was driving - she looked entirely happy. Standing infront of a red light, someone ran up to their car. It was another bunny, a light brown one with dark green eyes.

"Officers, I require help!" she yelled as Judy let her window down and looked at the familiar rabbit. She tilted her head, trying to recognize her. Nick had a bored expression on his face as he looked over to the bunny.

"Oh my - Judy?" the brown rabbit said in surprise.

"Uh.. yes. Judy Hopps. Do I know you?" Judy answered, sounding a little insecure.

"I never thought I'd see you here! Your parents didn't lie! Oh sweet cheese'n'crackers! It's me - Mary! Your mom's best friend!" the other rabbit said smiling widely. Nick raised an eyebrow and stared out of his own window again. "Please follow me into my bakery, I need to talk to you." she requested and Judy nodded.

"Let me just park the car." she said and drove off. She parked the car a few meters away and unlatched the seatbelt, looking at Nick.

"What's wrong? You coming?"

"I think you can handle this alone." he said rather coldly, not even looking at Judy.

"You're my partner, Slick. Let's go." she said as she hopped out of the car. Nick groaned and followed her reluctantly.

Inside the bakery Mary offered them a place to sit and both sat down across from eachother. Mary sat down beside Judy.

"How can we help?" Judy asked with a smile. Mary was focused on Nick though, who was checking out his claws, his sunglasses behind his ears.

"Is... that your partner?" the other rabbit asked confused. Judy nodded with a slight frown, while Nick rolled his eyes.

"Yes, m'am, he is."

"He is hella handsome." Mary swooned, which had both - Judy and Nick - totally puzzled. Nick started fiddling his tie awkwardly while Judy coughed.

"Uh, well .. sure, can we focus, though?"

"No, seriously. Judy, he's hot stuff. Never seen a fox looking that fine." she kept rambling, gazing at Nick lovingly. He felt extremely creeped out and avoided eye contact of any kind. Judy chuckled as she watched how uneasy Nick was.

"Aw, what is wrong, Slick? Can't handle a bunny swooning over you?" she teased with a large grin. Nick glanced at her with an annoyed expression.

"You guys need to come 'ere more often." Mary said and winked at Nick, which nearly made him gag. Judy laughed heartily and turned to Mary.

"Right, enough dreaming about my partner, what happened? You said you required help." Judy said.

"Oh lord! Of course. My oldest son went missing two days ago!"

Judy raised her eyebrows. She was shocked that this bunny infront of her could get distracted by an attractive fox when her son was missing.

"Uh.. why didn't you report it?"

"Oh, you know, he's quite a troublemaker. Leaves without telling me where he's going, he is 25 after all, but still ... I am worried, 'cause I can't seem to reach him. He's a chocolate bunny with white markings like you and orange eyes. His name is Felix. You need to find him!" Mary explained, now sounding really concerned, staring at Judy.

Judy scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "We will do our best, m'am. Any idea where he could be?"

"Not a single one!"

"No problem, we will find him." Judy reassured the other bunny with a half smile.

"Let's go, Carrots." Nick said as he got up and walked away. Just as Judy was about to get up as well, Mary grabbed her paw and pulled her back down.

"That is one sexy officer you're working with! You need to bring him here more often." she whispered into Judy's ear, which made Nick stop in this tracks, twitching his ears to eavesdrop their conversation.

"Mary, you are a bunny." Judy said, feeling really creeped out.

"So are you! In Zootopia everything's possible, honey. If you don't go get him, I will."

Judy backed away and chuckled awkwardly. "Alright, see you around." she stammered before she ran out of the cafeteria, followed by Nick, who was now pretty amused.

Judy ran to the car and closed the door, breathing heavily. Nick got into the car as well, though he was much more relaxed.

"What's wrong, Fluff? Didn't expect that even bunnies could fall for me? I am one irresistable fox." he said, giving her an arrogant smirk. Judy groaned and bumped her head against the steering wheel.

"That was so cringy." she mumbled, making Nick snicker blissfully.

"Oh, I was flattered. So should you, since you get the honor to work with this 'hella handsome' fox boy, Carrots." he taunted with a naughty grin.

"Shut. your. trap." Judy murmured, before straightening her posture. She drove off at high speed.

They reached the police station again, where Judy wanted to report the new case to Bogo. Nick couldn't get rid of his trademark grin the whole ride, it tempted him to tease Judy about that rabbit lady. Their bond and friendship was just so special, Nick couldn't even explain it. There was no one in the whole world he loved to tease more than he liked to tease Judy. She was such an easy target.

Judy parked the car and sighed as she unlatched her seatbelt. She leaned against her seat and closed her eyes. She never expected another bunny to find Nick handsome. ... ... ... *cough* not another bunny, any bunny, since she surely didn't find him handsome, he was a fox after all! Right?

"Oh Carrots~" Nick sang teasingly into her ear, which made her shudder for a moment. She glanced at him with a bored expression.

"Oh, Fluff. Still mad that another bunny wants to take your place, huh?" Nick kept taunting with a dirty grin, gazing into Judy's eyes. Judy rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Can we just... drop it? Right, there's a bunny in Zootopia that finds you attractive, we got it. Doesn't mean I do, though. And we both know you'd rather have me swooning over you than her." she teased back, returning his smirk. Nick grinned victoriously and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh, but you are, Carrots. You admire me." he said, inching a little closer to push the limits. He could've sworn he saw her blush as she awkwardly tried to avoid further eye contact. She then regained her composure and looked right back at him, also inching closer.

"Not happening, fox. In your dreams maybe, but this is the real deal, honey. You can go get yourself some bunfun in the bakery, though. You know, just to try out what a bunny is capable of." she said playfully, winking at him. His eyes widened for a short moment and he gulped loudly. He then backed away and put his sunglasses back on.

"No worries, Carrots. I am not into bunfun, you're already too much to handle." he said with a snicker. Judy rolled her eyes with a smile, it has been so easy to catch her partner off guard lately, she really enjoyed it.

"Riiiight, that's why you want to spend every free minute with me, huh?" she kept taunting with a large grin. Nick glanced at her and chuckled delightfully.

"You know it's the other way around, Fluff. I am just doing you a favor, since I have such a kind soul." he replied cockily, getting a little snicker from her in return, which made him smile.

"Okay, Slick, let's go inside before this gets out of hand." she said and got out of the car.

* * *

Judy entered the halls of the ZPD, followed by her fox partner.

"Hey, Judy! I have a letter for you." Clawhauser called out and held up a yellow letter. Judy tilted her head and walked towards his desk.

"Who is it from?" she asked as she took the letter in her paws. Clawhauser just shrugged.

"I don't know, actually. It was delivered to this adress without a sender, but dedicated to you." Clawhauser replied and pointed at the words 'deliver to Judy Hopps' on the letter. Judy glanced at Nick, who nodded at her to gesture that she should open it.

She opened the letter and gasped as she saw the content.

**"You will pay, I will destroy everything you love, officer Hopps. Be prepared for revenge." **

The content was written on a computer with a bold font. Judy covered her mouth as she looked at the letter and her eyes immediately started to tear up. She hadn't expected such a serious threat. Nick's eyes widened as he grasped the letter away from her and looked at it closely.

"This got to be some kind of sick joke." Nick said in an reproachful tone, glaring at Clawhauser. The chubby cheetah looked surprised.

"What do you mean?"

"This is a threat! Who gave you this letter?" Nick said, his tone painfully edgy.

"Nick, I don't know what's going on, I swear!" Clawhauser said, raising his arms in defeat. Nick groaned and looked at Judy, who seemed somewhere between panic and utter confusion.

"Do you have any enemies?" Nick asked. Judy simply shook her head, facing the floor.

"I will find that bastard who is threatening you, just you wait, Carrots. No need to be afraid." he said, his tone rather comforting at the last sentence. Judy sighed and nodded, glancing at Nick with a smile. He noticed her watery eyes and took her into a tight embrace, which she immediately returned. He rested his head on hers and sighed.

"As long as this fox is alive, I am not letting anyone harm you, remember that." he said soothingly. She nodded, her face nuzzled into his chest, fighting with her tears. Clawhauser just stared at the two, he had absolutely no idea what was going on.

Nick released her from the hug and looked at her.

"That missing bunny has to wait, I guess." he said with a soft smile, but Judy shook her head no.

"No way, I can't let a written threat destroy my career. I am going to find this missing mammal and if it is the last thing I do. Whoever wrote this doesn't know who he is dealing with." Judy replied, a determined look on her face. With her partner by her side, nothing could really scare her. Nick smiled delightfully at the grey rabbit.

"That's my Carrots." he said with a wink, internally very proud of her.

* * *

The rest of Judy's shift she had been awfully quiet and Nick noticed that. He tried to crack a joke here and then, but couldn't get a laugh out of her, even though she really tried to hide her concern from him.

Then suddenly Bogo called her into his office. Nick had to wait outside, but he leaned against the door and eavesdropped their conversation.

Judy went to the large chair infront of Bogo's desk and jumped on it. She sighed and looked at the Chief with droopy ears.

"Officer Hopps, I have heard about your new mission of finding that missing rabbit, but I've also heard of that threat. Do you have any idea who wants to harm you?" he asked, sounding rather concerned.

"No, Sir. I've been working for the ZPD for only a couple of weeks and there's already someone wanting to kill me, I just don't understand." she said, her voice starting to tremble.

Nick, who was still leaning against the door, drooped his ears as he heard her voice starting to crack.

"No worries, Hopps. You're under the best protection, there's always someone looking out for you. Now I want you to take the rest of the day off, go home and take a bath, collect yourself. The next days are going to be hard. I have all sorts of paper work to do, so I want officer Wilde to bring you home safely. Got it?" Bogo reassured her calmly, to which Judy nodded with a small smile.

"Thank you, Sir."

With that Judy left the office and nearly bumped into Nick, who was standing infront of the door. He put his hands behind his back and had an awkward grin plastered to his muzzle. Judy just rolled her eyes.

"Stalker." she murmured as she walked down the stairs. Nick followed her.

"Carrots, wait. Where do you think you're going?" he asked, grabbing her by her shoulder. She turned around with a serious expression.

"Home." she said dryly as she turned around again and continued to walk.

"But ... I am supposed to bring you home!" he called out, freezing in his tracks. Judy simply shrugged.

"I can take care of myself, but thank you." she muttered and left the ZPD without turning around. Nick watched her retreating figure and rubbed his chin thinkfully. He wasn't sure whether to give her space or insist to take her home. He quickly decided to run after her. As he caught up with her he didn't say a word, just walked beside her, avoiding eye contact, his hands behind his back innocently. Judy glanced at him, but didn't say anything.

They walked down the road in silence.

"Just know that you can always count on me." Nick suddenly said in a soft tone, which made Judy stop in her tracks to look at him. He stopped as well and had this sad expression on his face, which nearly melted Judy's heart.

"Same goes to you, Slick." she replied with a shy smile, staring at her feet.

They both sighed and continued to walk, it was slowly getting dark outside. As they reached her apartment building, Judy checked her postbox. There was one single letter in it and it was coincidentally yellow like the other one. She gulped as she opened it and read the content out loud.

**"I know where you live and I know your daily routine. Just know that I am always watching you, Hopps." **

Judy gasped and let the letter fall to the floor. This wasn't a harmless threat anymore, this person was damn serious.

Nick picked up the letter and growled, his white teeth showing. He looked around cautiously.

"I don't know what to do." Judy yelped faintly, covering her eyes with her paws to hide her watery eyes.

"Well, you have two choices. You can either crash at my place or I'll stay here with you tonight, whatever you prefer." Nick said in a somewhat edgy tone, looking directly into her eyes, which she opened abruptly and blinked a few times in disbelief. She couldn't spend the night with one of her closest friends ... that'd be ... weird.

"Oh, no need to-"

"I insist." Nick demanded, his expression dead serious.

"Well, since it doesn't seem safe at my place I'd rather stay at your place, if you really insist." she said timidly, facing the floor. Nick nodded.

"Let's go." he said and grabbed her paw to pull her with him. He looked extremely vexed.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Judy asked, walking behind him reluctantly, her voice a little insecure.

"Why not? Scared the big bad fox might try to eat you?" Nick said teasingly, glancing at her with a smirk. Judy just rolled her eyes with a smile.

Arriving at Nick's apartment, he opened the door and gestured Judy to go inside first.

"Wow, your TV is so much bigger than mine." Judy stated, looking at the huge flatscreen.

"And yet I visit you to watch a horror movie on your tiny screen." Nick replied, locking the door behind him.

Judy sat down on Nick's couch and sighed.

"Do you have any blankets? I mean, sleeping on your couch with an open window... that might get a lil' cold." Judy pointed out shyly. Nick blinked a few times as the looked at her and walked towards the couch.

"Carrots, you wanna sleep on the couch?" he asked, sounding a little surprised. Judy raised an eyebrow and looked back at him, as he was sitting down beside her.

"Uh, of course. No way I am taking your bed, it's nice enough of you to let me stay here."

"Dumb bunny." Nick threw in with a smirk, which made Judy frown.

"Why is that?"

"My bed is big enough, you're gonna sleep there with me. I wanna keep an eye on you after all." Nick explained matter-of-factly, leaning back against his couch, crossing his legs. Judy stared at him for a brief moment, before a naughty grin appeared on her muzzle. Nick raised an eyebrow as he looked at her.

"Oh, you want to share your bed with me, Mr. Wilde? Didn't know we were already there." she taunted teasingly. Nick shook his head in confusion.

"Huh?! No, Fluff, if that makes you feel uncomfortable we could just-"

"I am messing with you, Nick."

"Oh, right." Nick replied, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"You seem a bit off lately, is something bothering you?" Judy asked, leaning back as well. Nick looked around the room for a moment and sighed, before he turned his head to her.

"No, Carrots. I don't know what's wrong with me. I am really worried about you."

"Never thought that a threat could make you lose your cool, Slick." she teased and punched his shoulder playfully. He rubbed his shoulder and smirked.

"Nothing makes me lose my cool, cottontail." Nick stated confidently. Judy decided to tease him a little further, it was so much fun after all to see him sweat. She took off her vest and opened her belt, gazing at Nick while doing so. He watched her closely, his eyebrows raised. She got rid of her belt and leaned in towards Nick.

"You know, Slick... I have no sleepwear. You still comfortable that I might have to sleep beside you in my... underwear?" she whispered into his ear, which made his whole fur tingle. He tried to collect himself but that image really got to him for some reason. He backed away quickly and grinned nervously, adjusting his tie.

"Uh... hah... well... I... uhm... I... could... look if I... have... no, I don't have any bunny sleepwear here, no need to look." he finally gave in and looked into her eyes again. She looked determined and her grin was unlikely naughty for her. He was now starting to feel very uneasy and kept backing away. Whatever she was trying to do - it was wrong, since they were friends - right? Ouh, damn crazy hormones.

"Oh, Nicky, is it really _that _easy to distract you?" Judy snorted and chuckled. "I will keep my uniform on, it's no big deal."

Nick was leaning so hard against his couch, that he nearly disappeared between the pillows. That bunny knew how to hit a man's nerve. He felt his ears getting really hot as his mind was driving him crazy with images he wasn't allowed to have at all. He took a deep breath and looked at Judy, who was now staring out of the window. She was really just messing? Time for pay back.

"N-no, you don't have to, I want you to sleep just like you sleep in your own bed." he said warmly, trying his best to force a friendly smile. Judy turned her head and looked at him.

"Would that really be okay for you?"

"Yeah, well, if it is okay for you that I usually sleep naked." he said dryly, looking into her eyes, which immediately turned wide. She drooped her ears in embarrassment and looked at her feet, her heartbeat increasing. Suddenly Nick bursted out in laughter, his paws pressed against his belly. Judy glanced at him and frowned.

"Hahaha - did you really think I'd do that?! Pahahaha." Nick gasped between his laughter. A dark scowl formed on Judy's face and she crossed her arms.

"Nick, I was really worried for a second." she said in a reproachful tone. Nick tried to collect himself, but had to keep snickering.

"Don't you worry, Carrots. I will spare you with the image of my naked body, you couldn't handle that anyway." he kept teasing with an incredibly dirty smirk. Judy rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"I will take a shower." Judy said flatly, getting up on her feet again. She brushed off invisible dirt from her uniform and vanished into his bathroom. Nick sighed as he watched her leave and couldn't help but smile. This bunny was so much fun to be around, she kept him on the track and no one managed to make him laugh so much. Though, these images were still stuck in his mind and he felt tempted, but he knew that it was extremely wrong to have naughty thoughts about a best friend and partner on the force. He shook his head to keep it together, he had to share a bed with her tonight and that wasn't going to work if he went to bed feeling horny, especially when she was not wearing anything but her underwear. He decided it would be best, if he didn't even get to look at her in her underwear. He got out of his uniform and threw a black shirt over his upper body. He turned the lights all out and laid down in his bed, squeezing his eyes shut. As he heard the bathroom door open, he became nervous and turned over to the side, so Judy would look at his back and digged his claws in the pillow he was laying on. Holy crap - what was wrong with him? She was a bunny after all.

"Uhm, Nick? I don't really see much." Judy said, standing in the door frame, wearing black underpants and a very short black crop top, only covering the sensitive areas of her upper body. As Nick didn't respond, she just turned the lights on.

"Are you asleep?" Judy asked, sounding a little confused.

"No, just try'na relax." Nick responded, not daring to look at her. Judy raised an eyebrow as she noticed his tense body posture. She went closer to the bed and observed him. He was facing her with his back, his eyes forcefully closed, his paws clenched.

"Are you having a seizure? What's wrong?" Judy taunted, placing her hands on her hips.

"Can you just get into bed and turn off the lights, please?" Nick said, practically begging. Judy breathed through her nose and erased the light, climbing onto Nick's bed. She made herself comfortable with two pillows and sighed.

"Uh, Nick?"

"Hm?"

"Is it always this dark in here? Like... I can't even see my own paws."

Nick turned around and was now facing Judy, although she couldn't see him and he couldn't see her, but that way it was easier to talk. Judy was laying flat on her back.

"Yeah, uh, I... like it... like that." Nick stammered nervously, trying his best not to imagine what she might be looking like right now.

"Are you aware that there's only one blanket on your bed?" Judy asked a little uneasy.

"Uh, yeah. Mind sharing?" he asked, his tone rather sweet. Judy sighed and nodded, although he couldn't see that.

"No, that's fine. It smells like you, maybe that'll help me fall asleep." she said, sounding sincere. Nick smiled widely and inched a little closer, so it would be easier to share. Judy got under the covers and sighed blissfully.

"This is my first time staying with you, although it's a little odd that there's no light at all, but I feel safe when I hear your breathing." Judy stated, not having any ambigiuous thoughts.

"You're being really cute right now, Carrots. I am flattered." Nick replied matter-of-factly, which made Judy giggle.

"Maybe it's easier to be honest when it's dark." she replied sweetly, turning over, so now she was facing him. They were laying inches away from eachother and Judy was able to feel his breath, due to his pointy snout. That made her feel a little tingly.

"Then let me be honest, too." Nick suddenly said, his tone rather faintly.

"Shoot." Judy replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I am happy to have you here, Carrots. Know that I am always watching out for you." he said, sounding entirely genuine.

"Oh, I know, big bad fox. I can always rely on you." she replied, caressing his cheek for a brief moment. His fur was really soft. Nick didn't move a muscle as he felt her gentle touch on his cheek, but he couldn't hide his big smile. This was such a little gesture, yet it was so meaningful. Judy removed her paw slowly, afraid that it might make him feel uncomfortable, since he didn't say anything. She slid her paws under the sheets and closed her eyes.

"You bet, Fluff." Nick said softly. Judy opened her eyes once more, the sound of his voice was really intriguing. She sighed and smiled happily, closing her eyes again. Nick stayed awake for a few minutes, just listening to her breathing. As her breathing got heavier he could figure that she must've fallen asleep. He smiled warmly and turned on his back, closing his eyes and drifting to sleep as well.

Even though they weren't touching at all, they could feel eachother's presence, which made both feel safer, less lonely and over all ... complete.

* * *

**Awh, this is a little fluffy - and a bit naughty - but fluffy! **

**Who the hell is threatening Judy? I'ma kick his ass. **

**xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

* * *

**THURSDAY**

Nick opened his eyes slowly and stretched, before he turned to his side to take a look at Judy, but she wasn't there. His eyes shot open and his heartbeat increased rapidly. He looked around his bedroom frantically, but she wasn't there. He got up and hurried into the livingroom, where she was sitting on his couch, already dressed in her uniform, watching Cartoons. She smiled warmly as she saw him.

"Morning, Slick." she chirped happily. Nick wiggled his brows and rubbed his eyes.

"You gave me a heart attack." Nick said reproachful, crossing his arms. Judy narrowed her eyes at him, blinking a few times.

"Why is that?"

"Because I thought someone broke into my apartment to kidnap you or something." he admitted, his posture slowly softening. Judy chuckled.

"Aw, Nick. You need to stop watching Horror movies." she cooed, smiling. Nick rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I guess I'll just get ready for work." he breathed and turned on his heel to walk away, when a tiny paw grabbed his arm. He looked over his shoulder and spotted Judy, holding onto his arm with a timid smile.

"Hey, Nick?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you for letting me stay. I slept very well by your side." she whispered coyly, which made Nick smile. He fondled over her head and sighed blissfully.

"Everything to make you feel safe, Carrots." he replied softly, before he turned around and vanished into the bathroom. Judy let herself fall back onto his couch and couldn't help but grin. Somehow she felt so ... agitated around him.

* * *

On their way towards the ZPD, they both didn't talk much, but somehow couldn't stop smiling to themselves. Nick was startled as his phone suddenly buzzed. He got it out of his pocket and lifted his sunglasses to read the message.

"Yo Red, it's Fin. I set up a date for you tomorrow night, it's Friday and we have to get wasted."

Nick groaned as he slid his phone back into his pocket. Judy glanced at him worriedly.

"Something wrong?" she asked softly. Nick glanced back at her and sighed. He didn't feel like telling her, but on the other hand it would be a good oppurtunity to test her reaction.

"Just got a text. Seems like I have a date tomorrow." he said dryly, incomspiciously looking at her to see her reaction. Her droopy ears gave it away - it upset her. He cleared his throat, but didn't get to talk.

"That's nice. Same vixen?" she asked in a friendly tone, trying to sound as convincing as possible. Nick raised an eyebrow, he didn't expect that.

"Uh, I guess."

"I am glad you found someone you like. You seem so picky."

"I don't actually 'like' her, but she's quite fun. And I have my reasons to be picky, Carrots. Not every girl gets the honor to go out with the mighty Nicholas Wilde." he teased with a smug grin, but only got a shy smile in return.

"She must be special then."

Nick's grin vanished and he straightened his tie, avoiding further eye contact. He could literally smell that something was off about her reaction.

"Nah, she's just ... open-minded and funny. Not someone I'd settle down with, though."

"What does a girl need for you to settle down with her?" Judy asked, internally regretting the question instantly.

Nick glanced at her and removed his sunglasses to put them inside his breast pocket.

"That's a random question, Fluff. I guess she must be fun to be around, extroverted, easy going... I want her to take things serious and even though I might not look like it - I need cuddles and kisses all the time, I need affection and loyalty. I want someone that believes in her dreams and never gives up. I want someone that likes to try new things and doesn't care about being judged for it by other mammals. I just want a soul mate." he said dreamily, not noticing that he was basically describing Judy's personality. She felt her cheeks getting hot and coughed awkwardly.

"Ouh, well, yeah... not easy to find someone like that, eh?" she said jokingly, to which Nick nodded.

"Pretty difficult, indeed. What about you?" he asked, glancing at her with a timid grin. She focused on the road for a brief moment, thinking about what to say.

"Well, I just need someone that suits me, someone I can rely on, someone I can trust. Someone I can joke around with, someone I am never getting tired of."

"You can do most of those things with me." Nick blurted out, his eyes widening at his own comment, which made Judy chuckle.

"Yeah, of course, that's why you're my most precious friend, Nick." she said softly. Nick sighed and nodded.

It was confusing and beyond wrong that he almost felt offended by the term 'friend'.

"So, what are you doing this weekend?" he asked, trying to change the subject. Judy shrugged with a dry expression.

"Dunno."

"Wanna join Finnick and me?" Nick asked timidly, glancing at her in an insecure way. Judy snickered delightfully.

"To be the third wheel? I'll pass, but thanks for the offer."

"You won't! I don't care about that vixen as much as I care about you, Fluff." Nick said with a sincere smile, which made Judy blush a little.

"As tempting as that sounds, I don't wanna disturb your date."

"Stop being so humble, you won't be disturbing anything. It's time for you to get wasted, after how much you've been working lately."

Judy stopped at a red light and blinked a few times, before glancing at him.

"Get .. wasted? Seriously?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Get wasted with my partner and his date?"

"I won't be your partner tomorrow. I'll be your friend." he stated with a smug grin, which made Judy snicker once more.

"Fine, fine. I'll consider it."

"That's all I wanted to hear."

"Right now I have to focus on that missing bunny, though." she said, her expression hardening. Nick nodded.

"I almost forgot about that, hah~" he said with a fake laugh.

"I don't know where to start, though. Didn't you say you know everyone?"

"I do, but I've certainly never heard of a chocolate bunny called Felix."

Judy rubbed her chin for a moment, thinking about where a rabbit her age could've gone. She suddenly had an idea and hit the gas pedal.

"Carrots, the ZPD is the other way."

"I have a lead to follow." was all she said. Nick shrugged and leaned back against his seat.

* * *

They arrived at a park. It seemed very lonely, but all those different trees and flowers were enticing. Judy got out of the car and walked down a path, Nick jumped out of the car to follow her. Gosh, that bunny was so focused on her job. Her nose was twitching as she observed the area, she probably tried to sniff something. Nick walked beside her, his fists jammed into his pockets, glancing at her with his eyebrows raised.

"Gotcha." she yelled and ran towards a field that was full of deep holes. Before Nick could react, she slipped inside one and was gone. Nick was too large to fit into these tiny holes.

"Carrots, are you insane?" he called out, but got no answer.

Judy crawled back out of the hole and looked very proud, a huge smile printed on her muzzle, which made Nick narrow his brows, his paws placed on his hips.

"Chocolate bunny fur." she whispered with a victorious grin. Nick's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"Whaaaa- how?"

"This is a place where bunnies meet up and dig holes, some still have this natural desire to do it and this seems like a good habitat, since there are no foes around - and I thought maybe, just maybe, he'd be one of those bunnies trying to fullfil his instincts here. Seems like he was here after all."

"How do you know about this place?" Nick asked slightly confused.

"Bunny knowledge."

"So you like digging holes, too?"

Judy chuckled as she put the fur into a small paper bag.

"Not really, but who else should know about bunny's habits as well as me?"

"You never fail to surprise me, Fluff." Nick stated, being genuinely impressed. Judy's smile grew bigger.

"We need to stop by every once in a while to check if someone here knows him. They usually come here at night."

"Let's bring this evidence to Bogo." Nick said and Judy nodded.

* * *

"Where did you find it?" Bogo asked, as he observed the fur in his hooves.

"I've already told you, Sir. There's a place where bunnies meet up at night to dig holes to follow their natural instincts. Merely bunnies know that this place exists in the first place."

"I am impressed, Hopps. How did you get that idea?"

"Call it a premonition."

"I like your premonitions, Hopps. Good job. Now go get your paper work done." Bogo said dryly. Judy left the office with a big grin and ran straight into Nick's small office, where he was typing something on his computer.

"He is proud of me!" she yelled and bounced around the room, which made Nick chuckle heartily.

"I am glad, Fluff."

"What are you going to wear tomorrow?" Judy asked, making Nick wiggle his brows in surprise.

"That's a quick way to change the topic. I haven't decided yet, why?"

"I just want to know if you plan on dressing up nicely. I would look for something to keep up or even beat you." she admitted with a grin.

"There is no way you could ever beat me, Carrots. Dream on." he replied with a chuckle.

"So, I am not as attractive as you, huh?" she asked, her voice cracking. Nick cocked an eyebrow and stood up from his chair, raising his paws in defeat.

"No, I did not say that!"

"You basically did." Judy said faintly, turning away from her partner. Nick touched her shoulder gently and gave her a warm smile.

"I mean, I am quite a catch..." he trailed off.

"You're so humble." Judy snorted.

"...but you surely are a cute bunny." he said with one of those sassy grins.

"Don't."

"I don't know what else to call you. Everything I say could be used against me, we're at a police station after all." he joked, trying to ease her, but it wasn't working. She pouted with her arms crossed, staring at the floor.

"Carrots, you are very pretty. Don't take everything I say so serious."

"I am not convinced." she scoffed, closing her eyes in an arrogant way. This was too easy. Nick started to panic, if he would tell her how he sees her, it would make things awkward. But he gathered all his courage and sighed.

"Fine, Fluff. I think you're the most beautiful bunny I've ever seen, just look at those big violet eyes, they're ravishing." he said coyly. Judy glanced at him, she wasn't expecting this.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwh, Nick!" she chirped, which made him turn away with a growl.

"I was just hustling you, but I am glad I recorded those words on my carrot pen. Means a lot to me. You're a handsome fella as well." she teased him with a grin. His posture went stiff and his eyes widened.

"You... did WHAT?" he asked frantically, turning to her with a shocked expression. Judy laughed heartily.

"You should see that look on your face, adorable."

"You hustled me and recorded it?!" he repeated, sounding almost fierce.

"Well, it was a nice way to see your true view of me, I am flattered, officer Wilde." she teased further, really wanting to push his buttons. On the other paw, she had to hide her sudden shyness, his confession really got to her, although she was sure he didn't actually mean it and just said it to make her feel better. It is not possible for a predator to find prey attractive in a sexual way, or is it? She found him quite admirable, though - yet again, this was Nick and there probably was no living mammal that would consider calling Nick ugly in any way. Maybe they disliked the fact that he's a fox, but never has she heard anyone say, that they thought he's unattractive or disgusting. She had noticed all those stares the girls around Zootopia gave him - heck, even a bunny (Mary) was head over heels with him! She had no doubt that it would be easy for him to settle down with someone he likes, but she didn't have a feeling that it would be same for her. She wasn't _that _attractive, just an average grey bunny with unique violet eyes. Some admired her for her strength and belief, but that wasn't enough to fall in love with her, was it?

_Why is my mind racing like this? Make it stop! _Judy thought to herself and bit her lower lip nervously, determined to keep a straight face. Nick could see right through her, though. He noticed the faint pink blush inside her slightly droopy ears and that grin she was holding back by biting her lip. It made him chuckle and sit back down on his chair.

"You're welcome, Carrots." he said, letting out a blissful sigh. Judy stole a glance at him, too coy to say anything. Then Nick went into a straight posture, his paws resting on his knees, gazing into Judy's eyes with a naughty smirk. Judy swallowed hard and took a step backwards, this wasn't a good sign.

"I haven't come to know many bunnies, though. Should keep that in mind before you try to blackmail me with your pen, sweetheart." he said in a low voice, staring directly into her eyes, his smirk growing bigger. He wanted to make things less awkward - he didn't want Judy to know, that he actually found her way more than just 'cute', she was a beautiful bunny and he could spend hours just staring into those big purple orbs. But that was something she didn't need to know, something she probably shouldn't know, that why he wanted to keep it on the low and hustle her back. However, Judy replied with a shy half-smile and turned away, fiddling with her paws. The silence was deafening and very odd. Nick cleared this throat and leaned back against his chair, crossing his legs. He did a huge mistake by telling her that he finds her beautiful. He mentally scolded himself for falling for her traps.

"Judy, don't make such a big deal out of it." his annoyance was worth using her full name, which he usually never did. He knew bunnies could be emotional, he knew bunnies needed much more physical contact than most other mammals, he knew all that - but sometimes it was difficult to keep up, especially with those walls surrounding his vulnerable points. It took so long to build those walls and he was determined not to let anyone ever destroy them. He let Judy in, they were close, but there was no way he was ever going to be vulnerable, no matter what she did. He had to keep telling himself that.

Judy glanced at him with narrowed eyebrows. The annoyance in his tone made her somewhat upset. She was just playing around and felt really satisfied when he told her that he thinks she's pretty, but when he drowned that by saying that she's basically the only bunny he knows - and has no one to compare her with - the tingly feeling vanished and was replaced by a much more uneasy feeling she couldn't explain. Was it ... disappointment?

She gathered her thoughts and regained her composure. 'Never let them see that they get to you' was one of Nick's quotes and Judy decided to let it slip, she didn't want him to see that he got to her. Maybe she would interpret too much in their interactions, their gazes and their laughs and end up being heartbroken, 'cause he simply is a charmer, acting this way with every individual. She needed to stop feeling special, feeling as if she actually meant something to him. He was probably just grateful she picked him up from the streets. And the most disturbing thing - he was seeing a vixen, so what on earth was Judy even thinking? Her mind was playing ridiculous tricks on her.

"I zoned out for a second, I didn't even catch the last part." she lied through her teeth, hiding her guilt under a false smile. Nick cocked an eyebrow, but decided to let it go.

"Right." he replied dryly, checking out his claws, before he glanced back at her. "Don't you need to write a report?"

Judy nodded vigorously and bit her lower lip again, feeling a little tense that he probably wanted her out of his office. "Of course. Sorry for disturbing you and..." she trailed off, looking at her feet for a moment, taking a deep breath, before turning back to her partner. "... I didn't record anything, don't worry." she said faintly, before leaving Nick's office, not waiting for any kind of response. Nick sighed and crossed his arms, lazily leaned back against his chair. He let out a soft groan as he kept internally scolding himself, closing his eyes while doing so. Maybe the teasing went too far the past couple of days, he always thought Judy was a tough bunny that can keep up with his flirtatious ways and his teasing, but obviously there were moments where it all got to her and he didn't want her to think that he could possibly be viewing her as a potential mate - that would be gruesome. Not the thought of having her as a mate - the thought of losing her because of a pointless fight, because of his self doubts, because of these walls he had built. He had to slow things down with her, joking around was one thing, but these things that went beyond teasing - they had to stop.

* * *

Judy sat quietly in her office, typing down her report. Her ears were droopy and she tried her very best to concentrate. Lately she has been having these weird feelings around Nick - parts of her always wanted to feel him near, touch him. She suddenly found him way more handsome than before, his jokes and his dirty grin sometimes gave her less than innocent day dreams and a sensual feeling. Was she really feeling attracted to a fox? That was ridiculous. Her parents would slaughter her for crying out loud. She pulled on her own ears and tried to shake the thoughts away, but they wandered around her mind. The thought of Nick being with that vixen haunted her and she felt uneasy about it, though she had no right at all. Judy hadn't got laid in a while, to be brutally honest. Maybe it was her hormones going into overdrive whenever a male was near - this couldn't be about Nick in a personal way, that was more than wrong. She carried around fox repellent for god's sake and now - a few weeks later - she thinks about him in such a way? How wrong, how embarrassing, how enticing...

Hey eyes wandered around her room, trying to find some distraction. It had to be Nick's attitude, he was beyond flirty and loved making naughty comments, of course that had to bring a girl near the edge at some point. Judy gritted her teeth and tried to focus. She never stood a chance anyway, so what was the point in thinking about it? Nick was her friend, her best friend, her partner on the force. She couldn't risk all that because of some day dreams. She wasn't having any strong feelings or strong desires to be with him, but she felt more than attracted. She was caught somewhere in the middle and didn't feel like elaborating further.

A soft knock at the door made her freeze and forget all her thoughts immediately. She glanced at the door as it opened slowly and revealed her favorite fox.

"I am sorry." he said faintly, not daring to look into her eyes. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it with a sigh. Judy tilted her head slightly and observed him.

"What for?" she asked rather surprised. Nick breathed out heavily, finally meeting her eyes with a coy grin.

"For making you feel uncomfortable."

Judy's heart sank to the ground. Did he really think that? She swallowed and nodded.

"You.. uh... you didn't."

"I did and I am sorry." he declared dryly, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"It's all fine, no worries, Slick. Don't get emotional over something so little." Judy teased, inwardly feeling a little hurt that he felt the need to apologize for calling her pretty.

"Tsk, bunnies." Nick groaned with a small grin, crossing his arms over his chest. "Uhm.. do you feel safe sleeping at home? 'Cause you could sleep at my place until we've found out who's threatening you." he offered with a timid cough. Judy smiled with an eyeroll.

"Is this your way of asking me to stay the night?" she teased with a wink. Nick's eyes widened for a short moment, her seductive teasing gave him the chills of his life, but he had to retain his composure.

"Carrots, stop flirting." he demanded with a smug grin. Judy raised an eyebrow, returning his smirk.

"That's noble coming from you."

"I know I am irresistable, but this is a serious matter, Fluff." he tried to add some earnestness to it. Judy sighed and nodded.

"Of course, sorry." she said faintly, drooping her ears. "I actually feel way safer when you're around, but I don't wanna be a burden." she admitted shyly.

"Jud- Carrots, you're my friend, you're never a burden. You can stay as long as you want. You could move in for all I care." the words slipped his mouth before he could think them through. Mentally scolding himself, he clenched his paws.

"Now you're getting ahead of yourself." Judy blurted out, her expression a little startled. She tried to wash it away with a chuckle. "But that's a sweet offer. Maybe I could crash one more night, if you don't mind."

"As many nights as you want to, Carrots." Nick replied matter-of-factly, grabbing the door handle to leave again. He was startled as he felt a gentle paw tug on his shirt. He looked over his shoulder and spotted a sad looking bunny staring at him. He turned around slowly and raised an eyebrow. Before he could say anything, he was pulled into a tight hug. He let out a soft gasp as he was rather surprised at Judy's sudden actions. He looked down at her, her muzzle nuzzled tightly into his chest, her arms resting around his waist. He smiled delightfully and patted her head a few times, though he didn't dare to hug her back. She slowly let go of him and took a step backwards, gazing into his gleaming green eyes. For a second, she felt herself getting lost in them, although they looked confused. She sighed and rubbed her face with her paws.

"Sorry, bunnies are quite physical mammals. I am just very grateful, you're too good to me." she stated coyly, never breaking eye contact. Nick raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat.

"Everything for a friend, Fluff." he remarked timidly, before finally leaving her room. He had to get out of there, her clinginess was getting to him and he felt the need to escape.

_Get a grip, Wilde, _he scolded himself.

* * *

A few hours had passed and Judy was finally done with her boring paper work and handed it to Bogo, before signing out. She went into her locker room and got changed. She usually changed at home, but since she wasn't going to go there, she decided it would be easier if she would do it here. She changed into a washed out jeans and a plain black tank top. She walked out of the locker room and spotted a certain red fox standing infront of Clawhauser's desk, leaning against it, wearing the coolest grin he could. Judy managed to watch him a few minutes without getting caught. He looked so damn fine, Judy hated him for it. This very intriguing grin, his mesmerizing green eyes, his cool flair, his carefree attitude - it all made Judy have all kinds of ambiguous thoughts about her best friend, which made her feel really awful. She had to let it go, maybe she was just confused.

Nick listened to Clawhauser as he rambled about his favorite singer. He snickered every here and then, but zoned out when his nostrils caught a sweet scent surrounding him. He looked around and was puzzled. It smelled like ... some kind of arousal. His fox nose was usually very good, but this time it had to be tricking him. He was mainly working with males - and he was pretty positive that they don't smell like that - it was most likely a female scent. He looked at Clawhauser and clenched his jaw. It couldn't possibly be... that he... ugh. Nick shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut to get that atrocious thought out of his mind.

"Ready to go?" a tender voice asked from behind him. Nick opened his eyes slowly and they fell onto big violet eyes. The scent just became stronger - it couldn't be Judy, could it? Maybe she was just using a new perfume, he told himself, trying to gather his thoughts, that immediately went down a road they shouldn't be going.

"Uh, yeah." he replied, trying to sound convincing. Judy raised an eyebrow at her partner, something was off about him. His nose kept moving, he looked tense and concentrated. Was he smelling something he disliked?

"You good?" she asked, her head tilting a little. Nick put on the laziest grin he could, to distract her.

"All good." he mocked her playfully. Judy swallowed and nodded. His tantalizing grins really killed her internally.

"Let's get going." he offered and started walking. Still being a little puzzled, Judy collected herself and followed him. They walked down the road in silence. Nick's fur looked so soft in the dim light of the laterns. She was solemnly focused on him, but tried to keep it together. Nick felt her gaze on him, but decided to ignore it. He kept wondering why this sweet scent followed him, it had to be Judy, but he hoped she was just wearing an unusual perfume. He gritted his teeth at the thought that someone caught her attention and had her aroused by their presence. The thought disgusted him and made his gut twist painfully. He tried to focus on the road though, sighing deeply.

"Nick, is something bothering you?" she asked softly, catching Nick off guard. He shook his head and stole a glance at her, but soon focused back on the road, they were almost there.

"Nope." his reply was short and dry. It worried Judy even more. Was it something she did or said?

"You can talk to me, always." she reassured with a timid smile. He didn't even look at her as he folded his paws behind his back.

"I know."

Judy decided to let it go, he didn't seem to be in a joyful mood, which was odd, but probably none of her concern. Was it because she barged into his personal life by staying at his place? Was it too much? Was it the way she tried to keep up with his flirting lately? Was he getting annoyed by it? Was he annoyed by _her_? Her mind started racing and her expression became uneasy and tense.

They reached his apartment and he opened up. He held the door open for Judy, but didn't dare to look at her. She went inside and ignored his odd behavior. She jumped on his couch and tackled one of the huge pillows, sighing happily. She loved his apartment, everything smelled like him. Nick glanced at her and wondered about her playful attitude. His lips curled up into a small smile as he sighed and closed the door.

"Don't cause any damage, rabbit." he warned playfully, walking towards her. She glanced at him and decided to provoke him by biting into the pillow, mimicking a predator. Nick chuckled as he looked at her and sat down.

"Those bunny teeth can't keep up with our teeth, Fluff. I could tear that pillow apart within seconds." he remarked with a cocky grin. Judy let go of the pillow and looked at him intensely.

"In fact, you could also tear me into pieces within seconds, Slick." she stated matter-of-factly, which made Nick's ears droop slightly. The thought of hurting Judy in any way felt awful.

"I'd never." he said coldly, but Judy could hear how sincere he was.

"Oh, I know." she reassured with a small smile. Nick looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

"I could've killed you, Carrots. Just image we wouldn't have swapped the serum for blueberries." his voice trailed off, leaving Judy a little concerned.

"Hey, I was merely cracking a joke, Nick. We did swap it, so there's no 'what if'. Don't worry, I am fine and your fake attack on my neck tickled a little, actually." she admitted with a timid snicker. Nick glanced at her and chuckled.

"You looked very scared, though." his smile faded. Judy scooted a little closer to him, her legs crossed beneath her. One of her paws reached out for his arm and Nick relaxed at her tender touch.

"I wasn't, it was an act. I am not afraid of you at all, I trust you." she stated in a serious tone, offering him a smile.

His whole posture seemed submissive, which worried Judy a little. Why was he getting so worked up for nothing? Could it be possible that he actually did care about her after all?

"Thank you, Fluff." Nick let out a soft whisper, Judy was only able to hear it due to her large ears. A warm smile appeared on her muzzle. She nuzzled her face into the soft fur of his neck, letting out a deep sigh. Nick seemed to be puzzled at her affection, but soon gave in and leaned his head sideways to rest it on hers.

Her care and affection was driving him nuts, never had a mammal wanted to be that close to him all the time, he was a fox after all and he was used to prey being scared of him. He had been dating a few vixens, not even them needed that much physical contact other than ... nevermind. However, Judy seemed to genuinely care about him, it made her mad to see him upset, she stood up for him and needed his company relentlessly. Nick couldn't help but smile at his thoughts, this bunny was one of a kind.

Merely the power to leave her family and nearly 200 siblings behind to prove the whole world that such a tiny mammal was able to become a cop, to make the world 'a better place', it was impressive and admirable. Her tiny heart held so much strength and hope - something Nick never had. He felt his crumbling world slowly becoming better, it felt she was able to fill his darkness with light. It felt wonderful to have a friend, wonderful to know that there's someone out there - someone who wants you to come home safely. She tried her best to climb his walls and break them down, but he couldn't let her just yet. He had to gather his thoughts and feelings and solve that enigma inside his heart, before he'd ruin everything because her warmth was overpowering his senses. For now, he just valued her friendship and the fact, that she dragged him out of his mental breakdown, which he was very good at hiding.

He faked a few coughs to back away from her without being rude. He straightened his tie and watched how the grey bunny stared at him with her wide purple eyes, which looked quite dazed.

"Sleepy?" he asked in a playful tone, smiling widely at his favorite bunny. Judy let out a small, adorable yawn and nodded.

"You could say so, officer." she replied, stretching. Being so close to Nick made her feel dizzy, therefore she became tired. She loved the way his soft fur felt when it tickled her muzzle - and his scent, oh, his scent. She felt like showering in it. Who was it that once told her foxes stink? They smell intriguing. At least this fox did.

"Let's get to bed then." Nick offered, sliding off the couch. He brushed invisible dirt from his uniform and waited for Judy. A grin crept up on her muzzle as she stood up as well, following her handsome partner.

"You wanna use the bathroom first?" Nick asked politely, slowly opening the buttons of his shirt. Judy watched his movements in awe for a short moment, wondering what it would be like if he ripped off his uniform and - she caught herself and vigorously shook her head.

"Uh, it's your home, so go ahead." she said between a few coughs, that made Nick a little curious what she could be thinking. He shrugged and nodded.

"Right, be right back." he said and closed the bathroom door behind him.

* * *

Judy slapped her forehead with her own paws a few times, trying to get those images out of her mind. Since when has she become so kinky? What was this dude doing to her? She had to refrain, since he was involved with a vixen and didn't really seem to have an interest in Judy, other than teasing her endlessly. It was his personality and not his fault that this made Judy go crazy. She never believed she could feel such an entanglement with a fox. She had to let it go, it would ruin her career, her family and probably her heart. It was possible that she had a tiny crush on the witty fox, but that's something she'd get over. She got over her crush in her teenage years, she got over relationships, she got over judgemental mammals, so this shouldn't be a problem. She just needed some distraction.

The bathroom door swung open and revealed a shirtless fox, wearing green boxers. His fur was a little damp, so he had probably taken a shower. A white towel was laying around his shoulders. He looked irresistable and Judy felt herself captivated in the moment. She stared at him, her jaw slightly opened as she checked him out from head to paws. Nick noticed her persistent stare and glanced at her. It was an intimate moment for both, since Judy felt embarrassed from his puzzled gaze and Nick felt tempted that Judy made it so obvious that she liked the view infront of her. He cracked a sassy grin and walked past her to his dresser. Judy slowly turned around and followed him with her eyes. Nick was facing her with his back, storing his uniform in his dresser with a large grin.

"I told you I am irresistable, Carrots, but I do not want you to start drooling." he remarked with a raspy chuckle. Judy drooped her ears to the lowest level and felt entirely embarrassed. Her cheeks and ears were burning, of course he had noticed her stare. She had seen him shirtless before, what was the big deal?

Nick grabbed a plain black shirt and threw it over his upper body, turning around to face his precious bunny again, wearing his usual smug grin.

"Want to take a photo as a reminder?" he teased, bowing down on eye level with the bunny. Judy shook her head no and frowned.

"I was just surprised, Slick. Never seen that much of a predator before, that's all." she declared with her paws placed on her hips.

"Right, that's why you're blushing, cotton tail?" he said, his voice rather husky, sending shivers down Judy's spine.

"Oh, screw you." she huffed and went into the bathroom. She didn't mean to be rude, it was impudent of her to talk to him like that, but she felt really embarrassed and had to hide it.

_Tiny _crush, Judy, it's a _tiny _crush - she reminded herself internally.

* * *

Nick was surprised by her pernicious reply, but decided to let it slip. It was actually quite cute when she tried to curse, her voice was way too high-pitched to take it serious anyway.

He let himself fall onto his bed, now feeling way more secure that he was able to endure the view of her in her underwear. He rested his arms beneath his head and used them as a pillow, staring at the ceiling with a brief smile. He closed his eyes peacefully, it felt right that Judy was staying with him. Not because he wanted her around - which he actually did - but because he could be sure that no one could cause any harm on her.

The bathroom door opened again and Nick glanced at it incomspiciously, he felt rude staring at Judy's body. She was still wearing that black top she had worn before - and matching black underpants. He noticed her slender body, she looked very feminine and attractive. Merely looking at her exposed legs thrilled him, but he shrugged it off and closed his eyes again.

Judy noticed that Nick stole a glance at her and she felt proud, because she thought she looked presentable. She closed the door behind her and turned the lights off, lighting a dimmed bed lamp on her nightstand.

"Does this light bother you? Yesterday it was awfully dark in here." she said, wanting Nick to feel comfortable.

"I don't mind." he answered flatly, his eyes still closed. She jumped onto the bed and slid under the sheets, letting out a girlish giggle while doing so. Nick opened one eye and glanced at her. Snickering, he closed it again.

"Enjoying yourself, Carrots?" Nick asked with a grin, his eyes still closed. Judy turned over to look at him with a large smile.

"I always found it exciting to have sleepovers, especially in such a large bed!" she rambled happily. "I hope I'll be able to sleep in my own bed after spending so much time here. It's way cooler at your place!"

Nick turned to his side as well and was now facing Judy, resting his head on his pillow. He looked peaceful and calm.

"I don't mind you spending your nights at my place. My castle is your castle." he said softly, gazing into her purple eyes. They were sparkling in the dim light of the table lamp and he felt a slight twist in his stomach - a pleasant twist. Judy sighed and smiled widely.

"This sweet attitude suits you, Wilde." she replied, which made Nick frown.

"I am not sweet, Carrots. Honest, I am honest." he corrected her, a small smile creeping up on his muzzle.

"That makes it even sweeter." she teased with a gentle nudge against his shoulder.

"So you really don't mind sleeping next to a predator?" he asked, his expression hardening as he sighed. Judy lifted her head to get a better view of his face, her expression rather gentle and soothing.

"Nick, don't ask such silly questions. I love sleeping next to you, you're like a giant teddy bear." she replied with a snicker. Nick smiled - not his typical grin - a sweet, sincere smile.

"So you don't miss all your plushies? Don't think I didn't see them." he teased, his smile turning into a smirk. Judy rolled her eyes with a smile.

"You're doing a good job at replacing them."

"I am glad, Fluff."

Judy closed her eyes softly and inhaled deeply. She couldn't get rid of that satisfied smile that was plastered on her muzzle. Nick watched her a few moments, feeling the urge to curl her up into his arms, shelter her from harm and nightmares, but it would be wrong. Maybe she needed space. Sleeping next to a predator was one thing, but sleeping in the arms of a predator another one. He didn't want to push his luck, so he just closed his eyes and dozed off into the sweetest dreams - unfortunately they all included Judy.

* * *

**Enjooooy~ xoxo**


	6. Chapter 6

**FRIDAY**

This time Nick woke up a little earlier than Judy. He opened his eyes slowly and sat up on his elbows, yawning. He glanced to his side and noticed that Judy hadn't moved an inch over night, it was the exact same position. He narrowed his brows and inched a little closer to her, his ears twitching - he tried to hear her heartbeat. As she made a small noise, like a quiet snore, he backed away quickly and a grin appeared on his muzzle. She was fine. He got up very slowly and disappeared into the bathroom.

Somehow Judy noticed the noise the closing bathroom door made, due to her great hearing, and her eyes opened. She looked around the room and heard small noises coming from the bathroom. She smiled at Nick's attempt not to wake her. She cuddled back into her pillow and sighed blissfully. She enjoyed sleeping next to Nick, though she wished she could cuddle him, be near him, inhale his soothing scent the whole night, but she didn't feel like pushing him.

The door opened quietly and Judy closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep, though she couldn't hide a small grin. Nick went to sit on the edge of his bed side and sighed. He glanced at Judy and noticed her sweet smile.

"Must be dreaming of something nice, Carrots." he whispered gently. He grabbed his phone and was about to lay back down to scroll through Furbook, as Judy shot up into a siting position, with a loud "boo". Nick was startled to death and nearly fell off the bed with a loud yelp. He stared at Judy with widely opened eyes, some of his teeth showing, he looked utterly shocked. Judy laughed heartily and let herself fall back onto the pillows.

"Morning." she chirped, trying to drown her laughter.

"Geez, Carrots. I was about to have a seizure, I swear." Nick groaned with an eyeroll, which made Judy laugh even more.

"Where are we going today?" Judy asked, tilting her head.

"To work?" Nick replied, mimicking her with a soft grin. Judy gave him a serious expression and a frown.

"I meant tonight, Sherlock." she said sternly. Nick chuckled.

"It's a surprise. Don't bunnies love surprises?"

"Not only bunnies do, Slick." she remarked with a playful frown, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I certainly don't like them. I like when mammals are straight forward, don't need other crafty creatures around, I am barely able to handle myself sometimes." he stated cockily.

"Right, I forgot. You are so clever, so witty, so experienced, so brave, so crafty, so wise, so smart, so shrewd, so sagacious..." Judy remarked sarcastically, closing her eyes in a dramatic way while speaking. Nick raised an eyebrow and a sly grin creeped up on his lips.

"Go on, go on. See if you can find any more words." he teased and gestured her to go on. She glanced at him with a teasing scowl.

"...and so dumb." she finished her dramatic speech with a giggle.

"You wound me, Fluff." Nick whined ironically, feigning hurt. "Your description of me was _almost _perfect."

"Almost?" Judy asked with a cocky grin.

"You forgot to mention how insanely handsome I am." he declared with an arrogant snicker. Judy rolled her eyes at her partner.

"Dream on."

"It's true. It's safe to say that even bunnies are attracted to me." he stated matter-of-factly, still wearing his smug grin while looking at Judy. She groaned in annoyance and pulled her ears.

"Don't mention that. That was cringy as hell. I might have to throw up if you mention it once more."

"Oh, my dear Carrots, never thought it would hurt you that much to see another bunny getting all hot & bothered about me." he teased further, leaning towards Judy, his grin widening. He knew it was wrong to keep teasing her on such an intimate basis, but he couldn't help it - he loved seeing her blush.

"Another bunny? Who the hell do you think you're talking to, Slick? I am your superior at the ZPD, so if I was you, I'd behave." she remarked with a grin.

"A superior that's got the total hots for me - that is so infatuating." he said in a low voice, licking his lips. Judy turned her head sideways, away from Nick, to hide her massive blush. She was sure her ears were already burning red. Having him so close - in bed - with that dirty grin - she might as well just die on the spot.

"You wish." she snorted bitterly, crossing her arms with a pout.

"A fox can dream, Carrots." Nick said, regaining his former posture. His grin flattened a bit, but didn't disappear completely.

Judy huffed, but soon her body features softened and she turned towards Nick again, who was still looking at her persistantly, though now he wasn't so close anymore.

"You're a pain in the tail, you know that?" she said jocularly, tilting her head a little as she grinned.

"Stop hurting my feelings or I'll tell Chief Bogo that you're mocking and harassing your co-workers." Nick warned playfully.

"Oh, I'd not. I still have your tax evasion confession on my carrot pen, fox."

"And I have your little love confession on the carrot pen, Fluff." Nick shot back, his grin widening again.

"It's called an apology." Judy remarked matter-of-factly.

"Who the hell cries while apologizing? It's called love, Carrots." Nick kept teasing, winking at her. Judy drooped her ears to the lowest level, this was getting very intense ... and very awkward.

"I am a rabbit, Slick. We are emotional mammals, we cry a lot, so don't blame me for it and most certainly - don't take it personal." she murmured, her tone a little edgy, her expression soft and caring nevertheless.

"No need to be embarrassed about it. Everybody loves me." Nick snorted sarcastically, stroking his own shoulders.

"I wish I could be as humble as you are." Judy let out a thoughtful sigh while gazing at Nick, it was too obvious she was being sarcastic. Nick chuckled.

"Fine, I'll stop - but only because time's not on our side and we're going to be late if you keep dreaming about me." Nick said as he poked her nose gently and grinned. He then got up and changed into his uniform. Judy twitched her nose a few times and frowned, but decided to let it go. She knew he was just joking.

* * *

Arriving at the ZPD Judy got an idea.

"Nick, mind working on your own today?" she asked. Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"I might check on that park again, maybe someone's around. I don't mean to be rude, but those bunnies might be a little ... confused ... if a fox steps on their ground." she explained, her voice trembling because she didn't want to hurt Nick. Nick stared down at her fragile appereance and nodded reluctantly.

"I understand." he breathed. "Just take care of yourself."

"I will be back soon and tonight we're forgetting it all." she reassured him as she punched his shoulder lightly with a small smile. Nick inhaled deeply and nodded, his expression rather upset.

"Right."

Judy felt a sting of guilt rushing through her body, which left nothing but the desire to hug Nick and tell him how perfect he is, but she refrained. She bit her lower lip and turned around, walking towards her car.

"Call me if something goes wrong." Nick called out after her. She looked over her shoulder and gave him a reassuring nod.

With that, Nick just watched her retreating figure, clenching his paws into tight fists. He knew she was right, but it felt beyond wrong letting her go alone. What if they feel menaced by an officer? What if they insult her? What if ... some buck takes an interest in her and harasses her? Nick squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, before he sneaked out of the building into a different police car, hoping Judy wouldn't catch him. He needed to be sure that she was safe, she had been threatened after all. He didn't mean to stick his nose into her business, he didn't mean to 'stalk' her, he didn't mean to come off as possessive - he just wanted to make sure that no mammal could ever lay a paw on her.

* * *

Judy arrived at the park, feeling a little uneasy. These rabbits were still following primitive desires and maybe they'd feel interrupted by her. She chewed on her lower lip nervously as she got out of the car. She was always carrying her tranquilizer gun with her, but she wished she never needed to use it. She walked down the path that would lead her straight to the field. She swallowed and looked around, maybe a bunny in a uniform wasn't very welcome. She couldn't see anyone, no noises, only the sound of the wind brushing against her sensitive ears. She sighed deeply and was on her heel to turn back around, when she heard a low, muffled voice.

"Here to dig holes into the ground or here to drill our fellow bunnies with annoying questions?" the voice asked sternly, it seemed to be male. Judy looked over her shoulder very slowly and spotted a large bunny, maybe even larger than Nick, snow white fur with black markings and deep blue eyes. He was extremely handsome, even though his face was covered in deep scars, which made his appearence even more vicious than it already was. He had a dark scowl on his face and his arms crossed tightly over his muscular chest. Judy gulped loudly as she turned around completely.

"Good day, Sir. I am not naturally interested in digging holes, I am here to ask some questions about a missing mammal, a rabbit to be precise. I am not looking for any trouble, since here are - hopefully - no illegal activities occuring. I am merely looking for clues." Judy explained, her voice sounding a little insecure. The bunny infront of her raised an eyebrow, his posture softening a tiny bit. He stared down at the grey bunny, he was really intimidating.

"You are officer Hopps. Partnered with a fox." he remarked, his tone a little edgy, his expression darkening even more as he twitched his nose slightly to see if she smelled like the fox. Judy drooped her ears a little, it was obvious that these rabbits weren't quite fond of foxes ... and those scars looked dangerously similiar to claw marks ... of foxes. Judy gulped yet again and tried her best to regain her composure.

"Yes, Sir, this is true. I didn't quite catch your name, Sir?" Judy said politely, flashing a coy smile. The bunny infront of her seemed entirely unimpressed by her attempt to be friendly.

"None of the fuzz's concern." he stated coldly, his eyes never leaving hers. He was basically staring her into the ground. Judy's posture became more nervous by the second. She couldn't tell if he was a threat or just a good hustler.

"Sir, do you happen to know a rabbit called Felix, chocolate fur with white markings?" she asked, flashing another uneasy smile. The rabbit lifted his head a little as he continued to stare down, his eyebrows narrowing.

"I do." he replied shortly, his voice focused and raspy. Judy sighed and gathered all her courage.

"Sir, this is a serious assault. Someone might have kidnapped that innocent bunny and I am here to find him. Do you have any information for me? Does he visit this place often?"

"Where did you hide your fox, bunny?" the rabbit asked, leaning forward towards her to intimidate her further.

"He is not with me, Sir." Judy answered, trying to sound as serious and convincing as possible.

"Do you expect me to believe a bunny that is filthy enough to spend her time with a fox?" he asked, his face expression menacing enough to send a short shiver through Judy's body.

"Sir, we have evolved and a fox is no threat for us bunnies anymore. I see your concern, but there is no reason to be afraid of anything. This fox has helped me on my investigations massively and he became my friend during the journey. Though, now he is not with me." she declared confidently. She hated that judgemental tone of the rabbit infront of her.

"Foxes have evolved, you say..." he said, his voice trailing off a little as he looked around. He turned his attention towards Judy again, releasing a low snarl. "...and who do you think did _THIS_?" he derided as he pointed at his own face. Judy took a step backwards and gulped.

"Sir, I am dearly sorry that something terrible has happened to you, but my partner is not like that at all."

"Let me tell you one thing, Hopps." he said, crossing his arms again, his scowl reappearing. "If you let this fox scoop around on my ground, you're both doomed."

"You're threatening an officer, Sir. I could arrest you for that." Judy blurted out, instantly regretting her words, as the rabbit's eyebrows narrowed viciously. She was surprised as he started to snicker blissfully, his low voice erupting.

"You are very cute." he stated blankly, before he walked past her towards the large field. She looked over her shoulder and followed the intimidating rabbit with her gaze. "He comes here at night. He is not my favorite visitor, though." he said, observing the holes. Judy tilted her head and slowly approached the rabbit.

"When was the last time he came here, Sir?" she asked, she was very cautious not to piss the rabbit off.

"Three days ago."

"That is very precious information." she declared happily. The rabbit looked up at her and for the very first time, she saw something like a ... smile? It was crooked and marked with some kind of hurt, but still a smile.

"I am dearly upset that excellent mammals like you go down the drain and trust a fox. It's such a waste of precious life." he stated, his eyes facing the floor, his ears mildly droopy. Judy sighed, there was no room to fight - she understood his agony. "You are welcome to come here, Hopps. Just ..."

"I will come here alone, Sir." she said, offering a sweet smile, which was immediately returned.

"I want you here Saturday night. I will tell you everything I know." he offered, his expression hardening. Judy bit her lower lip as she looked around nervously.

"But.. I can't waste much time, Sir. I need information as quick as possible."

"Your choice." the rabbit stated coldly with a shrug. "I need to be sure you don't share any sensitive informations with that fox."

"He is my partner, we are investigating together, I can't keep important information from him, it's against the law." she declared, her paws a little shaky.

"I see how it is. So sorry that he has wrapped you around his untrustworthy tail. Good luck, Hopps." he said before he vanished into one of the holes. Judy watched him as he disappeared and decided it wouldn't be a good idea to follow him. She would just come around Saturday night and hope that Felix would be safe and sound.

She turned around and walked towards her car, feeling torn inside. How was she going to explain Nick that there was a very intimidating - yet handsome - rabbit that had important information about the case - but he had to stay out of the investigations for the sake of Felix's wellbeing?

Biting her lower lip in agony as she was drowning in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed that a certain fox had been watching the whole scene from his own car.

* * *

Nick's paws were clenching on the steering wheel as he watched the conversation between the two rabbits. He knew if he'd show up as Judy's back up, she would be in danger. So he decided to stay behind and just watch them, although he had to concentrate to understand everything they say, since they were standing quite a few meters away. His car was parked behind a bush and he was making sure not to make any suspicious sounds. He was majorly disliking the fierce expression on the white rabbit's face as he glared down at Judy and he could watch her tail twitch from time to time, a natural reaction, reflecting her anxiety.

His ears twitched vigorously as he heard the other rabbit calling Judy cute. His jaw clenched tightly and he tried his best to suppress a growl. Though he felt proud that Judy was able to gather some information, due to her acting skills - she was trying to stay calm and subdued.

"I will come here alone, Sir." Nick heard Judy say and watched the two rabbits exchange a smile. His ears drooped and he huffed. So she was really planning on investigating alone? Why did she choose him to be her partner in the first place then? He was now really eager to hear Judy talk about her investigation, would she hide the fact that she's planning to meet up with the rabbit on Saturday?

He heard the male rabbit making nasty remarks about foxes and Judy was only very poorly trying to fight it.

He rubbed his temples roughly, trying to calm down. He sighed as he watched the white rabbit slide down one of the holes and noticed the thoughtful expression on Judy's face. She was indeed considering not to tell him anything, he could read it in her eyes. He grunted and drove off, before Judy could detect him.

* * *

Judy arrived back at the ZPD and went straight into Nick's office. She couldn't stand the tension. What was more important? Her career or her friendship?

She entered and looked at Nick, who was actually not doing anything, he was just staring out of his window, his paws folded in his lap. He seemed calm and relaxed, but his tail was moving nervously. Judy raised an eyebrow. Was he still hurt she went alone?

"Hey, Slick." she said softly as she took a few steps towards him. He glanced over his shoulder, flashed a short half smile and got back to staring out of his window.

He was trying to keep himself together, not to flip, not to erupt. He needed to give her a chance to explain herself. He tended to be short-tempered, to overreact. That was only because he had been hurt and let down quite a few times in his life and Judy managed it to claim the power of hurting him. He hated it that a mammal had control over his feelings.

"Are you okay?" her sweet voice reached his ears and made his fur tingle for a moment. Guilt brushed his wounded heart, he had no right to ignore her, she was just focusing on her job, on the case of a missing mammal.

"I am fine, Carrots." he said, finally turning towards her, his green eyes meeting her violet ones. A small smile appeared on her muzzle as she let out a relieved sigh. "Did you get any clues?"

Judy hesitated to answer, instead she stared at her feet with droopy ears, which made Nick narrow his brows. He exhaled sharply as he turned away again.

"I did."

Nick perked his ears up and looked at her. His expression was calm, yet surprised, while there was uncertainty written all over hers.

"Really?"

"Felix has been seen three days ago. He usually goes there at night." she explained, glancing at him. Nick sighed and stood up from his chair, leaning against his desk with crossed arms.

"Who told you so?"

"A rabbit. A large, white one. I think he is the one looking after the park."

"Name?"

"He wouldn't tell me."

There was an awkward silence between the two partners, as both looked down at their feet.

"I am sorry I didn't take you with me. They're ... not very fond of foxes." she remarked, not looking at Nick. He lifted his head and glanced at his bunny partner. That was her way of saying they absolutely hate foxes and threatened her? Way to go.

"I see." he replied blankly. "Any idea where Felix could be?"

"No."

"Right, are you planning on going there another time?" he asked, one eyebrow raised. Judy looked at the fox, her eyes mildly widened, fiddling her paws nervously.

"I don't know."

That was all Nick needed to hear. He sighed and turned away.

"Tell your tale to Bogo, I will pick you up tonight."

"You seem off." she said hesistantly. Nick chuckled darkly.

"No, Fluff."

With that Judy decided to let it go, Nick would calm down eventually. She left his office and went straight to Bogo.

Nick slammed a fist against his desk and growled loudly, his teeth exposed. He hated being lied to, Judy wasn't telling the whole truth. She forgot to tell him how nasty that rabbit spoke about him and how she didn't mind. She forgot to tell him that she was going to see that buck tomorrow night, all alone. She forgot how she promised to leave him out of the investigation. She forgot. Nick clenched his paws into fists and sat back down, cupping his face into his paws. His blood was boiling, he had to control his anger.

Time to set his mask back on, time to rebuild his walls, time to hustle.

* * *

**FRIDAY NIGHT, 9PM**

Judy was in her apartment, getting ready for the night. She was hoping Nick would've calmed down by now. She was wearing a tight black dress, only reaching her knees. She was hoping this way she would be able to keep up with that vixen. The thought of her still made her teeth grit.

It was only a couple of minutes past nine as she heard a soft knock at the door. A smile crept across her muzzle as she opened the door. Her gaze fell onto that very handsome fox standing infront of her, his usual pawaiian shirt replaced with a plain black one, which suited him very good. He was wearing his typical smug grin as he leaned against the door frame and enjoyed the way Judy was eyeing him.

"Don't start drooling, Carrots." he teased, his grin widening. Judy shook her head vigorously and smiled nervously.

"I am just not used to seeing you wear something fancy, Slick." she declared shyly, not entirely able to keep her eyes off him. As Nick's eyes fell onto her feet and slowly wandered up her fragile frame until they landed back on her eyes, she felt her whole body vibrate. His gaze was intriguing and seductive.

"Nice dress." Nick pointed out in a low voice. He wanted to act distant tonight, but merely the view of her made all those weird feelings crawl back into his mind.

Judy's heartbeat increased by his remark and she swallowed to regain her composure.

"Gee, thanks."

Nick offered his arm to escort the bunny out of the building. She melted at his touch and was hoping he wasn't able to hear her beating heart.

Infront of the building Nick let go of her and leaned against a near wall, gazing at Judy with a half-smile, his eyelids half way open. Judy stared focused back into his green eyes and was wearing an uneasy smile.

"Shouldn't we... go?" she asked. Nick shook his head no very slowly, before his smile grew bigger.

"Fluff, I just want to make something clear, before we go."

"I am all ears."

"We go out as friends tonight. So whatever I do or whatever you do - it won't impact our friendship. We just want to drink and get our mind off of things, okay?" he said in a low, husky voice. Judy gulped, was this his way of saying - don't bugger up my date?

"Wouldn't want it any other way." Judy reassured, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Let's go." Nick said and walked past her. Judy sighed and followed reluctantly. Maybe this was a bad idea after all ...

* * *

They arrived at the bar. Nick entered, Judy was close behind him. Nick looked around, the music was blasting, drunk mammals everywhere. The lights were illuminating and soon Nick spotted Finnick and two familiar vixens sitting on a table, a whole bottle of Whiskey standing infront of them.

Nick threw on a lazy grin and walked towards them. Judy gulped as she saw the two vixens, a black and a white one. Since the white one was cuddled up against Finnick, Nick's date had to be the black one - and Judy recognized her. She was enticing, mesmerizing. Her very appearance was enough to intimidate Judy. She clenched her tiny fists and encouraged herself to appear self-confident. She followed Nick, wearing a cocky grin to hide her insecurities. Nick sat down beside the black vixen - and she hugged him. This made Judy's stomach churn, but she had to play it cool. There was a single chair standing infront of the table, which meant she had to sit alone, but she was comfortable with that, that way she could keep a better eye on Nick.

"Guys, this is Judy." Nick said as he pointed at the bunny. Finnick offered her a lazy grin and the white vixen nodded with a friendly smile, while Lizzy gave her a vicious glare.

"Who invited her?" she snapped and looked at Nick, who seemed to be taken aback for a second.

"I did." he stated, his brows narrowing. Lizzy snorted and crossed her arms, her eyes meeting Judy's.

"Nice to meet you guys." Judy said timidly, glancing at the white vixen, who offered her paw with a smile.

"Likewise. Never sat on a table with a bunny, this is so exciting! You're so cute!" she chirped as she shook Judy's paw. Judy gave Nick an awkward side glance and he took the clue.

"Cute is more likely an insult." he remarked as he leaned back against his seat. The white vixen eyed him with confusion.

"How so? Am I allowed to say that she's pretty?"

Judy chuckled and nodded.

"Thank you, I can just give that compliment back." she replied with a coy smile.

"Awh, you're too kind. I am Mandy by the way." she introduced herself with a friendly nod. Judy threw on her most polite smile.

"So, can you handle a drink, _bunny_?" Lizzy asked, looking at Judy with fierce eyes. There was oh so much hatred and disgust in the word 'bunny'. Judy swallowed and glanced at Nick, who gave her a reassuring nod.

"Surely." Judy replied dryly, feeling confident as Nick was by her side. Lizzy snickered and poured Judy a glass of Whiskey.

"So Nicky, how has your week been?" Lizzy asked, turning to Nick with a flirty smile, which he actually returned as he leaned closer. Judy held tightly onto her glass, afraid to break it. He whispered something into her ear, which made the vixen giggle. Judy watched them, gritting her teeth. She took a huge sip of her Whiskey and nearly choked on it, that shit was strong. She coughed a few times and cleared her throat. Mandy raised an eyebrow at the bunny.

"First time?" she asked with a short chuckle. Judy just nodded with an awkward smile.

"I nearly fainted, it was so disgusting, but thankfully I learned to enjoy alcohol through Finnick." she rambled happily, glancing at the little fox, who grinned at Judy. Judy watched the couple a few moments, before she turned her head back towards Nick, who was still whispering things into Lizzy's ear. It took all of Judy's strength not to jump out of the nearest window. She watched as Nick took a few sips of his Whiskey, not making a face. His green eyes were attached to the black vixen beside him, his arm hanging loosely over the edge of the seat, his other arm resting on the table with his glass in his paws. He was basically facing Judy with his back. Judy sighed as she leaned back into her seat and watched the other mammals talking, laughing and dancing. The music was slow and infatuating.

Nick was trying to stay focused, trying to concentrate on Lizzy, but his mind screamed to turn back to Judy - but he couldn't, he shouldn't. He had to make a statement by taking Lizzy home, even though Judy was around. He wasn't really listening to anything Lizzy said, he just kept whispering dirty remarks into her ear and she was playing along just fine, as if she didn't even notice that he wasn't paying attention. He could literally feel Judy's stare, but decided to ignore it. Judy thought she was able to hustle the hustler? Naw.

"It is really rude of you to bring your friend here and ignore her." Mandy threw in, catching Nick's attention. He turned his head towards the white vixen, who had her arms crossed over her chest, huffing. Nick glanced at Judy, who seemed to be lost in thought, watching the other mammals dance. He sighed and turned his body towards her, intentionally overhearing a growl from Lizzy.

"Enjoy it so far, Carrots?" he asked, poking Judy's shoulder to gather her attention. She looked at him in the sweetest way, a dishonest smile appearing on her muzzle, that made Nick's ears droop mildly.

"Sure." she said, keeping her answers short and blank. Nick furrowed his brows as he leaned in a little closer, so she could understand him.

"I am sorry, Fluff. I got a little carried away." he apologized sincerely, now noticing his behavior was wrong.

"No wonder, she's beyond beautiful." Judy admitted with a timid smile.

"I guess, but that's no reason to neglect you."

Although Judy felt touched at first, her ears drooped as she came to the realization that Nick would never take an interest in her.

"No, no. I am not here to spoil your date. Go ahead, I'll find someone to talk to." she reassured with a coy smile, but Nick wasn't buying any of it.

"How about we drink together, for the sake of our friendship?" Nick offered with his usual smug grin, lifting his glass infront of Judy's face. Friendship was such an awful word to her, but she had to play along, she had to accept her fate. They clinked glasses and emptied it with one sip.

* * *

After three glasses Judy felt tipsy and started to talk to Mandy, ignoring Nick's presence, as he kept turning around to talk to Lizzy. She was fed up, she had enough. She decided not to be the third wheel, she wanted to enjoy her night and even if that meant talking to strangers. Mandy and Judy were getting along pretty well, although both got mean glares from Lizzy from time to time.

"Ready to shake 'em bunny hips?" Mandy asked excited as Judy stiffled a chuckle and nodded. Mandy grabbed Judy's paw and dragged her to the dance floor. Nick watched them with a snicker, he was relieved that Judy was enjoying her night after all. He finished his fourth glass of Whiskey as Finnick ordered another bottle. He leaned back in his seat, his posture lazy and cool. He grinned the entire time he watched Judy dance, she surely had a way to swing those hips. Her expression was blissful and carefree, which made Nick grin warmly at the bunny, who glanced at Nick from time to time. He enjoyed the way her curves swayed in the blinding disco lights, making his ears get a little hot. It was very wrong to consider her as sexy and tempting, but the alcohol in his head told him to keep thinking it. His anger about the situation this noon just vanished. His green eyes were fixated on her swift movements as he licked his lips, pouring another drink. It was like Lizzy's existence deceased, much against the amusement of a certain cream fox, who glared at Nick. He snipped his fingers to catch Nick's attention. Nick turned his head to look at Finnick, his brows furrowing.

"Are you out of your mind? No matter who you're undressing with your eyes, either my girl or the bunny, it's not cool." he snapped harshly. Nick shrugged as he glanced at Lizzy, who was literally drowning in that glass infront of her. He chuckled and turned his attention back to Judy, who was now dancing with ... a raccoon?! Nick's eyes shot open and his eyebrows narrowed as he watched them closely.

Judy was dancing happily with Mandy, glancing at Nick from time to time. He seemed to be watching her, so Judy tried her best to copy Mandy's captivating movements. She felt herself lost in the moment, the alcohol kicking in, numbing her senses. She was confident that her performance was sexy and the loud "wow" that erupted from Mandy as she watched the grey bunny dance just coaxed her confidence.

Then she felt someone touch her shoulder gently and she turned her head to see a polite raccoon with piercing red eyes gazing at her. He bowed his head and smiled heartily at the rabbit.

"May I have this dance?" he asked with a husky voice. Judy was unsure for a moment, her gaze turned to Nick, who was looking at Lizzy, not paying attention anymore. Judy exhaled sharply as she took the raccoon's paw and started dancing with him.

_Just one moment of carelessness can change a whole story._

* * *

**Uh oh... T_T **

**xoxo ~**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

* * *

Judy danced a few moments with the raccoon and actually got lost in those blood red eyes for a second. They were fixated on her purple ones and she enjoyed the attention. She couldn't help but to glance at Nick sometimes, he was watching her intensely and seemed tense, but right now it was time for a good pay back.

_Watch me, Mr. know-it-all_, Judy thought as she leaned closer to the raccoon, asking for his name. He stopped dancing and flashed her a satisfied grin.

"I thought you'd never ask! I am Lefou, what's your name, beautiful?" he said, his voice still a little raspy, which made Judy's fur tingle a bit.

"Judy."

"Beautiful bunny, beautiful name." he complimented with a smile, as he pulled her a little closer and continued to dance with her.

Judy's arms were hanging loosely around Lefou's shoulders, while he held her by the waist as they swayed together to some slower songs. Lefou's eyes were glued to Judy's face, while her eyes kept darting back to Nick. She felt a pang of guilt rushing through her body as she noticed how bewildered Nick looked. It seemed as if he couldn't believe his eyes. He has had countless drinks, was gulping down one glass after another. Was it because of her? Because she danced with a stranger? He wasn't even trying to make it a secret that he gawked at them. She tried to focus back on Lefou, as he whispered some sweet compliments into her slightly drooped ears.

* * *

As the raccoon put his hands on Judy's waist, Nick watched them sway to the rhythm, staring into eachother's eyes. It made his lungs tighten to the point he thought he wasn't able to fill them with air anymore, his heart clench to the point he thought it would stop beating any moment and his stomach twist to the point he thought he might have to throw up. His claws were digging into the wooden table and his teeth were slightly exposed as he growled. He kept drinking and drinking, his vision slowly becoming blurred. He watched the raccoon lean it to whisper something into Judy's ears and her laugh erupted through the room, that sweet angelic voice filling his ears with harmony. He was disgusted that she could take an interest in some filthy raccoon. He drowned in his Whiskey, trying to shake this ridicilous feeling off. Judy wasn't his mate and it was him who kept trying to provoke her with Lizzy throughout the evening, so he had no right to be mad about that punk dancing with his precious bunny, but the alcohol said otherwise. He wasn't thinking rationally, not able to stay focused. He watched as the bodies of Judy and the raccoon melted more and more into eachother, their bodies swinging in perfect consonance. It drove him nuts and he couldn't fight this feeling, no matter how much he drank. So he got up, straightened his shirt and adjusted his tie, before he guided himself out of the bar.

He wasn't too well on his feet anymore, but managed it to walk without stumbling, even though he was very drunk. He didn't go far, he just wanted to catch some air before he was going to go back inside and make out with Lizzy infront of Judy's eyes. That was his goal, that was the best he could do to pay her back for breaking his heart on purpose. He didn't feel like interrupting Judy's dance, he didn't want to come off as possessive or jealous. He leaned against a nearby brick wall and tried to catch his breath, since his heart was beating rapidly. The rush of adrenaline that was released when he thought about the way Judy looked at that raccoon had his head spinning.

He twitched his ears as he heard the door open beside him. He turned his head to see Judy. For a moment he felt relieved that she went after him and a small smile appeared on his lips - but his eyes widened as she was followed by the raccoon. He gritted his teeth and clenched his paws into tight fists. Judy was oblivious to his existence at this point. He took a few steps backwards to stay undetected as he watched the two through his blurred night vision. A hundred loud voices echoed through his mind, yelling at him to stop her from doing any mistakes, but he had to refrain, it was none of his business. He perked his ears up in caution to catch every word the two mammals infront of him exchanged.

* * *

Judy stumbled outside, followed by Lefou. They were giggling like children, both had been drinking a good amount of alcohol. Judy was really enjoying his company, he wasn't too forward and he was very polite. Her mind kept wandering back to Nick, to his sparkling green eyes and his electric touch, but she decided to push those thoughts away.

"I am so glad you came here." Lefou said softly, gazing lovingly into Judy's eyes.

"I'm not dwelling on it either." she replied sweetly, smiling widely.

"Who did you come here with?" Lefou asked, one eyebrow raised.

"A friend." Judy answered, her gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before she looked back at Lefou. Lefou noticed her hesistance.

"Only a friend? Or more?"

"Friend. Just a good friend. He is here with his date."

"He doesn't know what he's missing." Lefou said with a wink, that made Judy's knees wobble for a moment.

"I guess." she said shyly, fiddling with her paws. Lefou put a finger under her chin, careful not to hurt her with his sharp claws, and forced her to look up at him. A soft smile was glued to his lips.

"If he could see you through my eyes for just one moment, he would fall head over heels for you." he whispered. Judy closed her eyes with a smile. She didn't close them to gesture him to kiss her, she simply did because she wanted to imagine Nick doing this to her. Her heartbeat increased. Yet Lefou inched closer, closing his eyes as well.

Before he could get a taste of her lips, he was laying on the floor, a sharp pain rushing through his spine. He opened his eyes and looked directly into the vicious green eyes of a fox. He gasped and backed away slowly.

As Nick heard the raccoon say all those cheesy things, he nearly gagged. But as the raccoon leaned in closer, he lost it. He completely lost it. He marched towards him and gave him a really hard push. Judy's eyes shot open and she was shocked to see Nick, she thought he was enjoying his date's company.

A loud snarl echoed through the night as Nick's eyes were fixated on the raccoon, his claws exposed. Judy covered her mouth with her paws in shock. She grabbed Nick by his arm and dragged him away from the raccoon. Nick immediately turned his attention to the bunny, his face expression slowly softening as he stared into her frightened eyes.

"Nick! Are you out of your mind?" she said reproachful. Nick drooped his ears and faced the floor, freeing himself from Judy's grasp.

"He was about to take advantage of you, Carrots." he said softly, still not able to look at her. Judy crossed her arms over her chest, frowning.

"Were you watching me this whole time?" she snapped harshly, which caused Nick to droop his ears even more. He was an officer, this could ruin his career.

"I was just keeping an eye on you."

"By barging into my business? Did I hurt Lizzy in any way? I let you have your way, you're gon' let me have my way." she stated. Nick lifted his head to look at the fierce bunny, his posture stiffening.

"So you were planning on taking him home?" Nick asked, his brows narrowing.

"What's it to you?" she snapped once more, her nose twitching in anger.

"Right, you can pick up where you left off." Nick snorted harshly, before he went back inside without another word. Judy sighed deeply and her features softened as she turned to look at Lefou, who was still shocked.

"I am sorry-"

"That's your _friend_? Nice one." he snapped. Judy exhaled and offered Lefou a paw to help him get up, but he pushed her away.

"Don't touch me. Holy shit, he's a madman."

"He is not, calm down."

"I might as well call the cops." Lefou hissed as he got back up.

"I am a cop, got anything to say?" Judy snapped, her eyebrows narrowing viciously.

"I get it, you're Judy... Judy Hopps. In heaven's name, why didn't I think about that sooner?" Lefou barked. "Didn't recognize you without your uniform."

Judy huffed and frowned.

"Get happy with your fox, but keep him on the leash..." Lefou taunted. "...or muzzle him."

"Get the fuck out of here." Judy snapped aggressively. It was unlike her to use bad words, but this raccoon was taking the piss. She went back inside and let herself slide down into her chair.

Nick sat beside Lizzy again, his glass in his paws. His expression was stiff and tense. Judy sighed and encouraged herself to talk to him.

"Nick.."

"Don't." he shushed her.

Judy took a deep breath and downed another glass of Whiskey. She watched how Lizzy rested a paw on Nick's knee and it made her furious. Her blood started boiling and she tried her best to keep it together. Nick took another sip of his Whiskey. Judy knew that if he kept drinking, he'd end up with an alcohol poisoning.

"Can we talk?" she asked sweetly as she touched his shoulder gently, flashing him a hopeful smile. Nick glanced at her and rolled his eyes. He wanted to say no sooooo bad, but he couldn't resist those purple eyes. He nodded and followed her outside once more.

* * *

Outside Judy walked down the road a few steps and stopped infront of the brick wall Nick had been leaning against at their first encounter this night. She sighed and stared down at the floor. Nick approached her slowly and his gaze was fully focused on her. He stopped right infront of her and didn't say anything.

The silence between the two mammals was deafening. After a short while Judy finally looked up and her violet eyes met his green ones. They stared at eachother for quite a few moments, before Judy took a deep breath.

Nick was pretty drunk and he felt like pouring his heart out to her. How much he hated her for liking her that much, how he hated the power she had over him, how he hated her mesmerizing eyes, how he hated getting lost in them, how much he hated that he enjoyed every second he got to spend with her, oh, how much he hated her... for lov-

"Nick?"

Her soft voice made him focus again. He sighed deeply and nodded.

"I am listening."

"I didn't mean to yell at you." Judy apologized, playing with her paws nervously. She wanted to avoid eye contact, since he was standing pretty damn close, but her eyes kept darting back to his. Nick cracked a gentle smile, staring into the sky above him for a moment.

"I didn't mean to ruin your evening. I don't know what came over me." he replied timidly, looking back at her. Judy flashed him a half-smile, feeling more nervous by the second.

"You didn't, I guess you saved me from making a very unlucky decision." she admitted coyly, letting out a short snicker. She threw her arms around her upper body, resting her paws on her own shoulders. He gazed lovingly into her eyes, a sweet smile glued to his lips.

"I was just looking out for you, Fluff." he breathed and Judy nodded as a reply. She knew he meant no harm, even though his reaction back then left her a little flustered.

"Seems like I am just a predator after all." Nick said through a deep sigh, as he turned away with his eyes facing the ground. Judy tilted her head and her expression hardened.

"Don't say that." she demanded, grasping his arm softly. He turned to her and had a questioning look on his face. "You _are _a predator, but that doesn't make you a bad mammal. You were protective over your friend, that's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I am grateful you opened my eyes. There's no one I'd rather my spend my days with, no one I'd rather have looking out for me - there's no one I would choose over that predator infront of me." she said soothingly, pulling him closer to her. Nick closed his eyes for a moment, needing a moment to process the kind words. He opened his eyes, took a deep breath and gazed at her. She stood there, her smaller frame holding onto his arm, staring up into his eyes. He wasn't able to say anything, so he just swallowed his words. There was so much he actually wanted to say, but he decided not to.

Judy then grabbed his snout to pull him down to her, which had him startled for a second. She rested her tiny paws around his snout, pulling his face towards hers and just stared at him, her look loving, yet determined. Their noses were only inches away from another and Nick gulped loudly, but didn't move as he looked into her eyes, his ears perked up in caution, his eyes wide opened, his heartbeat incredibly rapid. There was it again - this twist in his stomach - this sweet twist that left a tingly feeling inside of him. What was this?

"I want you to stop doubting yourself." she said sternly, her brows furrowed in determination. She tried her very best to stay focused, but having him so close, inhaling his scent so intensely, no sounds around them except the wind brushing the trees - she felt herself slowly getting lost. Her whole body was shaking because she couldn't control all those butterflies that were set free as she noticed the devotion in his eyes. She sighed deeply as she pulled him closer again, resting her forehead against his, her chin resting on the bridge of his snout, gazing directly into his eyes. Her lips started to tremble, a soft wave of electricity shot through her veins.

"I've told you once and I'll tell you a million times - you are so much more than that, Nick." she stammered softly, never breaking eye contact.

Nick was stunned. It felt like eternity, it felt like they've been standing right there for hours, days even. His paws were shaky and he felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest as she spoke. Her words covered him in comfort and warmth, something he had never experienced before. She sounded genuine, she sounded like she meant what she said and it left him puzzled, bewildered, unsure, nervous. As she pulled him even closer he thought he would melt into a puddle any moment. Her gaze was filled determination, depth, dedication, honesty, loyalty and ... love. He felt his knees getting weaker by the moment and he was sure it wasn't because he had to bow down to be on her eye level, it was because it got harder to control his feelings by the minute.

"Why are you doing this, Carrots?" he asked softly, his voice just above a whisper. Judy smiled as she closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling more of his captivating scent.

"I am doing this because I truly care about you, you dumb fox." she replied smoothly, opening her eyes again.

A few moments passed. They stood exactly like that, gazing into eachother's half opened eyes, inhaling eachother's scent, rhythmic beating hearts.

Nick's mind was spinning, but he wasn't sure if it was because of the alcohol... or because of _her_.

Then, all of sudden, all his memories rushed through his mind and he started panicking, his eyes opening widely. How he got pushed away for being a fox, how he was rejected for being a fox, how Judy came to Zootopia - feeling the need to carry around fox repellent, how she chose to leave him out of her investigations, because he was viewed as untrustworthy. How he told himself to never let anyone through, never let anyone see that they got to him, how his walls were slowly crumbling and he didn't like it.

He was about to ruin their precious friendship for something that wouldn't work either way. Something that seemed impossible, something that was irresponsible, something that was wrong, something that was delusional.

His breathing got heavier as he tried to fight his negative feelings. It wasn't Judy's fault, she tried everything to show him how much he meant to her, but he could never make her happy, he could never make her feel the same way, she had to be hustling him.

He freed himself from her grasp and pulled away, panting. Judy was puzzled and tilted her head in confusion. She took a step backwards - was it too much? Had she pushed him too far? Was he feeling uncomfortable being so close to her?

"Nick, what happened?" she asked soothingly, but got no answer. Instead Nick folded his paws behind his back and walked in circles like a tiger in his cage, murmuring something under his breath Judy couldn't understand, his eyes focused on the ground, his body features tense and strained.

"Calm down, I am sorry." she said, frowning. Yet again, no response.

"HEY!" she called out and crossed her arms over her chest, scowling at him. She tapped her feet impatiently and stared at him.

Nick stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. He struggled to bring his breathing back under control. He felt like he was caught in some sort of nightmare. The mammal he admired so much gave him this romantic oppurtunity to make everything right, yet he couldn't. He felt the need to escape, like a coward. He needed to get away from her, he couldn't possibly let a bunny climb his walls. It took years to build them! A bunny wasn't going to destroy everything he had constructed over the last years. Maybe he was just drunk, otherwise he surely wouldn't have let this moment happened. He cherished their friendship and there was no way he was gonna risk it.

And there was one thing he was sure of - there was no way she could possibly ever feel the same way about him. She was raised to hate foxes, to avoid foxes, to reject foxes.

And now - what was he? A fox.

A fox attaining the unconditional love of a bunny? That was a joke you could tell at the bar to your friends and they'd laugh. This, this was the real life.

And in real life a fox and a bunny never stood a realistic chance of being together.

* * *

**Of course this is not the end. But I can't help myself, I love drama. ~ **

**Ya'll gotta be patient. x_x **

**Enjoy and please leave a review~ xoxo **


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

* * *

Judy was flustered at Nick's odd reaction and took a step backwards, observing the nervous fox carefully. He had this bewildered look on his face and his eyes were fixated on hers, for a moment it seemed like he wasn't even blinking, which made Judy gulp.

"Nick?"

"What were you thinking, Carrots? We can't be doing this." Nick barked in a less than friendly tone.

"What are you even talking about? I was merely showing you my appreciation."

"You were leading me on." Nick accused her, glaring at her. Judy's eyes widened in shock and it felt like her heart skipped a beat, but she soon regained her composure and frowned viciously.

"You think I would stoop that low, Wilde? I have no reason to lead you on. I just wanted to show you that I am grateful for our friendship, I had no ambiguous thoughts, but thanks for letting me know what you really think of me." Judy replied, her voice rather upset. She sighed deeply and turned around to walk away.

Nick stood silent for a moment, proceeding everything. He groaned and reached out for Judy's arm, but she pulled away.

"Don't touch me." she snapped, before she continued to walk away. Nick pulled his ears in agony, releasing a frustrated growl, before he jumped infront of her, stopping her in her tracks.

"Fluff, I've been drinking too much, my head is spinning. I am sorry if I have offended you in any way .. or ruined your evening. There's just .. some stuff on my mind that I'd rather discuss when we're both sober. Can you take me home, please?" he pleaded with the most adorable puppy eyes and even though Judy tried to stay mad, she soon gave in with a warm smile and nodded. She wouldn't be mentally stable if she really considered letting Nick stay with that pernicious black vixen. Nuh-uh, only over her dead body.

"Sure, Slick. Wanna say goodbye or just leave?"

"Leave." he breathed frantically, not wanting to face Finnick. Judy nodded and started walking down the road, towards Nick's apartment. "Follow me, fox."

Nick threw on a lazy grin as he walked behind her, not able to fully focuse on the road, since her posterior caught some of his attention, which didn't stay unnoticed by the grey bunny. She smirked over her shoulder and put some dedication into the way she walked.

"Hope you're enjoying the view." she cooed playfully, stifling a chuckle. Nick hesitated, a short wave of embarrassment rushing through him.

"_*cough*_ Dunno watcha talkin' about." he replied cooly, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Sure."

* * *

Reaching the apartment, Judy asked for Nick's keys, which he handed her immediately. He leaned against a wall and closed his eyes for a moment, his vision had started spinning and he was afraid he might have to throw up. Tonight everything went too fast, his drunk mind wasn't capable of proceeding everything properly.

"You coming?" Judy asked, leaning in the door frame. Nick opened his eyes abruptly and stared at her slender figure. Thousand thoughts crossed his mind - what he could be doing to her tonight - on the other hand he had just rejected her and made her feel awful about herself. He sighed and went inside. He dragged his feet across the floor until he reached his bed. He exhaled sharply and let himself fall onto the bed, face first. Judy furrowed her eyebrows and for a moment she was scared he had passed out, but as she heard a loud groan coming from him, she knew he was probably just exhausted.

"You need some water?" she asked worriedly, sitting down on the edge of her side of the bed.

"No." he replied with a muffled voice. He finally looked up at her and got a grip of himself. He sat down on the bed and sighed. "I am such a jerk."

"Why would you say that?" Judy asked, tilting her head. Nick glanced at Judy, but soon focused on his feet as he spoke.

"I made this night horrible for all of us. I dumped Lizzy, who was obviously upset about my behavior, I ruined your potential date and I got way too wasted."

He felt a gentle touch on his paw and glanced at it suspiciously. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed Judy's paw resting on top of his own and quickly his eyes went up to meet hers and there she was, sitting right beside him, being close to him. His chest tightened again, he loved being close to her, but he also hated it entirely. He turned his head away from her to hide the faint blush inside his ears.

"Stop putting the blame on you, I am not your motivation speaker. You're a mature fox and you know that your heart's made of gold. You didn't scare that raccoon off due to personal reasons or because you wanted to invade my privacy, you were just looking out for me, like a big brother would." Judy declared kindly, giving him a sweet smile. He slowly turned his head again, gazing into her tantalizing purple orbs. She was sitting so close that he was scared she could hear his heart beat. Her words were soft and kind, yet she was wrong. It was for personal reasons, for selfish personal reasons. He was currently fighting demons he had never been fighting before, just simply because no one had ever had such an impact on his life and his feelings. And he surely didn't view her as a little sister, otherwise his hormones wouldn't kick in so often. But there was no way he could confess that to her, she'd be scared as hell, maybe she would even consider canceling the friendship in a whole. He chewed on his lower lip nervously, trying to get a hold on himself.

Judy had positioned herself right by his side to show him affection and compassion. She didn't want to pressure him into something he wasn't ready for or something he didn't want at all, but she sure was drunk enough to give it another try. She wanted to hug him, kiss him, tell him how much he means to her, feel his warmth, feel his heart, feel his burning love - but there was no sign of him wanting that too. He seemed to back away every time she came close and he had obviously rejected her earlier, accusing her of something delusional. It was difficult for her to fight against her feelings, because they were slowly overpowering her rational thinking, but she had to keep trying. Just one mistake and it would entirely ruin their friendship and she didn't feel like risking it, especially not at this point. They were closer to eachother than they've ever been before and he was starting to accept her as an individual.

"Thanks, Carrots." Nick said softly, still gazing into her eyes. He turned away and sighed deeply, before freeing himself yet again from her grasp. He stood up and went into his bathroom, wordless. Judy watched him as he closed the door behind him, he looked devastated.

That was when she came to the realization that maybe she had taken it too far. He needed space, he needed freedom. She cupped her face in her tiny paws and sighed loudly. She had tried and failed to gain his love. There was no way she would ever try it again, not if it had such an impact on his wellbeing. She had to take a step back, let him know that he's free and she ain't interested in some romantic involvement, maybe he would calm down then. A bunny and a fox would be a delusional coupling anyway, so she decided to let it go, no matter how bad she would suffer. Her feelings have developed quickly, most likely over night. And she wanted them to disappear exactly the same way they had come. She just had to stay focused. Focused on their friendship.

* * *

Nick came out of the bathroom and entered a dark bedroom. He tripped over something that was laying on the floor. He got back up and turned on the lights. He saw that Judy was already laying in his bed, snuggled up under the sheets, her eyes closed. He looked at the floor and found out that he had stumbled over her black dress, which left him a little puzzled. Did that mean she was naked or somethin'? His eyes widened at the thought, but he took a deep breath and shook that thought off. He got out of his shirt and threw over a white tank top. He stumbled his way to his side of the bed and turned off the lights. He lit a candle, though. He knew Judy wasn't comfortable sleeping in the dark. He turned to his side to face Judy and watched her a moment. Her breathing was steady and her eyes were closed peacefully. Though he wasn't entirely sure if she was already asleep.

"Fluff?"

A muffled 'hmm' erupted from her and she slowly opened her eyes, discovering her favorite fox in the dim light of the candles. He was turned to her and her eyes fixated on hers. A small smile crept up on her lips as her ears drooped. Nick lifted the sheets that were covering Judy's body carefully to get a glimpse on what she was wearing and he was surprised to see that she was wearing his favorite pawaiian shirt.

"Where did you find that?" he asked. Judy snickered and winked at him.

"None of your concern. Now I know why you like it so much. It's so comfortable." she cooed sweetly. Nick returned her snicker and smiled.

"Well, I hope sleeping in it is also comfortable."

"Of course, it smells like you." she blurted out, her ears drooping a little more. A faint blush appeared inside her ears and she felt her cheeks burning. Nick seemed taken aback for a moment, but soon regained his composure and chuckled delightfully.

"Glad you enjoy my scent that much." he said jocularly, before he turned on his back and stared at the ceiling.

"What are you thinking?" Judy asked, inching a little closer. She threw her sheets over his body, she didn't want him to be cold. She was laying close to him, but didn't dare to touch him in any way and it seemed like he respected that.

"Don't think you can call that 'thinking'. I am way too drunk to actually think." he admitted with a snicker. Judy stifled a chuckle.

"So no getting wasted anymore?" she asked playfully. Nick glanced at her with his typical smug grin.

"Nothing's gonna stop me from getting wasted on the weekends."

"Fo' sure."

Nick focused back on the ceiling and slowly closed his eyes. Judy watched him as he slowly fell asleep. She couldn't help but sigh blissfully. She loved sharing a bed with him, she was unsure if she could ever sleep in her own bed again without missing him.

Her thoughts kept circling around him as she closed her eyes as well. It was hard to stay strong around him, his dirty grin and his captivating eyes were slowly taking over her good sense. She felt trapped in something unaccountable and struggled to find her way out. The more time she spent with Nick, the more the desire within her heart grew. She had to bring it back under control, this probably wasn't a minor crush anymore, it had turned into something bigger and the bigger it got, the more irresponsible it got. She had to grin and bear it. Someday she would meet a nice buck that would take her mind away from this fox... someday.

* * *

Nick was actually the first one to wake up. His eyes fluttered open and his vision was still a little blurry as he looked around. The sun was shining through the windows and it seemed unendurable bright inside his room. So he covered his eyes with his dark paws and tried to inure his eyes to the light slowly. He glimpsed trough his fingers around the room, he didn't remember a lot from last night. He spotted a black dress on the floor and his head turned to the other side of the bed, where Judy was still sleeping, facing Nick with her back. Nick's eyes widened and his heart started beating incredibly fast as he thought about the last night. Did he...? He tried to control his breathing, afraid to wake her up. He slowly got into a sitting position, his feet crossed beneath him as he observed the bunny cautiously. He lifted her sheets carefully, he needed to take a look at what she was wearing. He released a relieved sigh as he spotted her wearing his favorite pawaiian shirt - and then he even remembered it. He rubbed his face with his paws, trying to concentrate on what happened the last night, but his throbbing headache didn't let him. He slowly got up and sneaked into the bathroom, where he took a shower in hope that would cure his headache.

After taking the hot shower he brushed his teeth and got into new, clean clothes. He walked into the living room and grabbed some blueberries from his fridge, feeling slightly better already. He went back into the bedroom and sat down on the edge of his bed side, grabbing his phone. There were multiple missed calls and messages. He frowned in surprise as he went through his messages. Some were from Finnick, who seemed pissed off. Others were from ... Lizzy? He opened them and read them.

**"I can't believe you actually stood me up for that excuse of a bunny. I am so disappointed, I thought if I gave you another shot you'd be grateful for the oppurtunity, but you dropped it. Can't believe that I actually liked you. You neglected me majorly and I must admit that it hurts, 'cause I've got no idea what I've done wrong or what I could've done better to win your attention. Seems like Finnick was right all along and you really got a thing for bunnies, which is disturbing and wrong. Grow up and get your head out of the clouds, that fling with her is never going to be real. You can call me if you want to talk this through, otherwise I'll just vanish from your life. See you around, officer."**

Nick's jaw dropped slightly at the long and intense message. It was clear that Lizzy was hurt, but she was also disrespectful towards Judy, much to Nick's disgrace. The grip around his phone tightened as he read the message again, his mind racing.

_"That fling is never going to be real."_

_"Grow up."_

_"Disturbing and wrong."_

_"Finnick was right."_

He threw his phone back on his nightstand and exhaled loudly. He cupped his face in his paws and accidently released a faint growl. He heard someone behind him move and yawn. He forgot about her incredible hearing skills and mentally scolded himself for being too loud. She needed to rest. He turned to her and watched her as she turned on her back, stretching and yawning. It was obvious that she was still very tired.

"Rest, Carrots." he said softly, flashing her a sweet smile. Judy rubbed her eyes and looked at him, returning his smile immediately.

"I heard a noise." she said, her voice a little raspy. Nick chuckled.

"I am sorry, I should've been more careful not to wake you." he apologized sweetly.

"No problem, why are you already dressed up? Going out?" she asked, lifting her head to survey him closely. Nick shook his head with a timid chuckle.

"No, I just felt dirty and needed to take a shower and obviously I wasn't going to wear the same lousy clothes as yesterday." he explained.

"Makes sense. You're still damp." she remarked, running a finger down his neck.

Nick gulped at her sudden touch and it left him a little dazzled. Her soft paws touching his neck were new to him and he ... liked it. A smile crept up on his lips and his heartbeat increased. Damn, the littlest things made him lose his temper whenever she was around him. He collected himself and nodded.

"Yeah, that's... possible."

Judy yawned and laid back down, snuggling her pillow. "Your bed is so freaking cozy. I love it."

Nick snickered blissfully and nodded once again.

"I know, Fluff. That's why I chose this bed."

"Come and sleep, we have nothing to do today." Judy offered, gesturing him to lay back down. Nick blinked a few times, unsure what to do. Shall he give in and enjoy laying next to her for a few more hours - or should he do everything to be apart from her, to get distracted? He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut.

Obviously - he was gonna give in.

He let himself fall onto his pillow and chuckled. They both soon drifted back to sleep, in the exact same position they had spent the night.

* * *

This time Judy woke first. She opened her eyes and rubbed them carefully, noticing that Nick had inched closer while sleeping. His snout was just inches from touching her shoulder and she could feel his breath tickle against her fur. They had been sleeping quite a few hours. Judy jumped out of the bed and walked into the bathroom to shower and change. She walked out of the bathroom, now wearing her black dress again, which hugged her curves perfectly. She felt satisfied with her looks and walked into the livingroom, checking her phone.

Then it hit her. She had to meet up in an hour with the mysterious white rabbit from the park. She covered her mouth with her paws to stifle a gasp as she remembered. She hadn't told Nick but right now it would be a good oppurtunity to leave and if he found out, she could just accuse him of being asleep. Lying to him made her stomach twist painfully, but she knew it was for the right reasons. She desperately needed clues and that bunny insisted on talking to her alone - and as an officer she had to respect that decision.

So she left Nick's apartment, leaving a little note on his fridge.

**"Got something to take care of. I'll call you when I'm done." **

With that, she hurried towards her own apartment.

Arriving there, she changed into something comfortable and hopped into her car, driving towards the park.

* * *

She arrived at the scene 10 minutes early and the sun was already starting to set. She had slept half the day and was feeling much better, although she promised herself to never drink that much again.

She walked down the path, towards the field, but no one seemed to be around. She perked her ears up, trying to hear some noises or voices, but the only thing she heard were birds singing. She sighed and drooped her ears, disappointed.

She decided to wait a few minutes, standing in the middle of the field with crossed arms.

And just like that, within a heartbeat, someone reached out for her from one of the holes, grabbed her legs and pulled her down into the hole. Judy was startled and gasped loudly, but soon her mouth got covered and she started panicking.

She wasn't wearing her uniform, so she had nothing to protect herself.

* * *

Nick woke up a few moments after Judy left his apartment, although he was oblivious to the fact that she was gone. He rolled onto his back and groaned as he finally gained his full consiousness. He glanced to his side and noticed that Judy's bed side was empty, so his eyes shot open and he came to sitting position.

"Carrots?" he called out, but got no answer. He got up and walked into his livingroom, no sign of her... except...

He walked towards his fridge and there was a note attached to it. He picked up the note and read it out loud. He rubbed his chin, thinking about where Judy could've gone on a Saturday night and then it hit him. She was actually meeting up with that punk. He growled loudly and punched his fridge, before he crumbled the note and tossed it into his bin.

He was furious that she didn't tell him where she was about to go. She really wanted to do this investigation alone? Fine by him.

He dragged his feet across the wooden floor back into his bedroom. He grabbed his phone and dialed a number, patiently waiting for them to pick up.

"Hello?"

"It's me, Nick. Can we meet up and talk?" he asked, sounding determined, his voice edgy.

"I was sure you'd call. Meet me at the bar in half an hour."

Nick hung up and went into the bathroom to change. He wasn't going to let Judy win. She had caused enough damage inside of him and he was aware now that she had secrets she didn't feel like sharing.

So this was his turn. While she was out investigating alone, he might as well enjoy his night.

He was determined to get his mind off of her. Erase those feelings that had crawled into him like demons.

If she wasn't ready to trust him, he would be insane to trust her.

"Hurt me once and I'll kill you twice." Nick murmured before he left his apartment.

* * *

**Like I've announced before - I loooove drama~ What do you think - how far will Nick go? Remember that we stop thinking rational when we're hurt. T_T**

**Creating the next chapters as soon as possible. xoxo **

**Please leave me your opinion in a review, I appreciate them. **


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

* * *

**WARNING! - This chapter contains severe violence, so please be prepared. x_x**

* * *

Judy felt trapped underneath the ground. Someone was holding her tightly, covering her eyes with their paws and dragged her down a warren. Judy was panicking, but didn't dare to say a word. After what felt like eternity, they reached a small room. Judy was sat on a chair and her eyes were finally released. She sighed deeply and opened them slowly, surveying her surroundings. It looked like a small apartment, just like hers, but even smaller. Her heart was beating rapidly and she didn't dare to turn around. She tried to control her breathing. Her ears perked up when she heard footsteps behind her. Someone walked past her and sat down on a chair across from her. It was the white rabbit with the scarred face. Judy gulped loudly and her body posture was submissive.

He sat down and crossed his legs, giving her a stern and impatient look.

"So, you decided to show up, I see." he said with his raspy voice. Judy nodded.

"I guess. Did you bring me down here?"

"I sure did."

Judy's eyes widened and she felt her lungs tighten. That basically meant he was ready to use violence - even though he didn't really hurt or threaten her, he just scared her to death.

"Why?" she asked timidly, her ears drooping.

"'Cause I don't want anyone to eavesdrop our conversation."

"Makes sense, Sir. Just... never do that again." she pleaded with a low chuckle. He cleared his throat and leaned back against his chair, crossing his arms as well. He was still just as intimidating as the first time Judy met him.

"Silver." he remarked sternly, which made Judy tilt her head in confusion.

"Uh, what?"

"You can call me Silver."

"Oh, right. It's a pleasure to meet you, uh, Silver." Judy said sweetly, offering the rabbit a smile, which he did not return.

"What do you want to know?"

"Well, last time we met you mentioned something about not liking Felix very much, why is that?" Judy asked, taking her notepad out. Silver observed her carrot pen carefully, before he cleared his throat again.

"You dare to record what I am about to tell you and I am going to break that pen, got it?" he asked, flashing her a vicious glare, which made Judy gulp and droop her ears to the lowest level.

"I wasn't planning to, Sir."

"Silver."

"Right, sorry."

Silver sighed and his features relaxed slightly.

"Felix is a very ambitious rabbit, just like you. I believe you two are even the same age. He came here quite often, but he was a troublemaker. He often fought with other bucks around here and always wanted to prove that he's the best at everything. I was something like his teacher, taught him to behave and it slowly got better. He told me that he hates his mother. He was disgusted by her, she kept flirting with every mammal that entered her bakery and raised him to see all mammals as equal, but he didn't. I taught him there's a huge difference between good and bad mammals, such as bunnies and foxes or wolves. They're like the annoying chewing gum under your shoe that you can't get rid of." Silver explained, his voice trailing off as he looked around the room. Judy gulped and felt like running away, it was no secret that Silver pretty much detested foxes - but he knew she was working with one, so why was he telling her all this?

His eyes darted back to Judy and she swallowed harshly. "However, one day he came to me and told me that he fell in love with a vixen. I told him that it's totally irresponsible and not acceptable, but he insisted. The vixen was called Trisha and he adored her, for whatever reason. I told him to stay away from here, I gave him a chance to come back to his senses, but what did he do?" the volume of Silver's voice increased and he narrowed his eyebrows viciously. Judy felt like backing away but she was trapped in her chair.

"HE BROUGHT HER HERE TO INTRODUCE THAT _PIECE OF CRAP _TO ME!" he yelled from the top of his lungs. Judy gulped and her eyes widened intensely. "That excuse of a mammal, that..."

"Silver, please calm down." Judy pleaded with a soothing voice. Silver blinked a few times and sighed, his face features softening.

"Right, sorry. I am short-tempered, I can't help it."

"Please go on."

"Yeah, however, the other bucks around here got cautious. I told her to leave immediately, but she was less than respectful, insisted on staying.. with her _boyfriend_. On what planet can bunnies and foxes even get intimate with eachother? It's fucking gross - and the other bucks around here thought so too."

"Does that mean that majorly bucks visit this place?"

"I guess. I barely see does around here, you might be the first one."

"Odd. Carry on."

"Felix wanted to talk to me, but I sent him away. He got into a few fights with the other bucks, they were insanely mad at him for breaking the rules. No one is allowed to have interspecies relationships, especially not with predators - or even worse - foxes. And afterwards... well, I don't know. I digged a hole and vanished into the ground, where the fighting noises became numb. And then I never saw him again, neither has anyone seen Trisha." he finished his speech, exhaling sharply.

"Does that mean there are two missing mammal cases?" Judy asked in surprise, to which Silver nodded.

"Basically. But there's no need to look for Trisha, the world's better off without her." he growled darkly.

"Sir, I'm an officer and it's my duty to make the life in Zootopia bearable for all mammals, including foxes. I have to look for her, whether you like it or not." Judy declared confidently.

"Whatever." Silver groaned, facing the floor. "Tell me Judy, what is this thing about Wilde?"

"What do you mean?" Judy asked in confusion, wondering how the hell he got Nick's name.

"Between you two... on TV it seems like there's a spark between you. Do you like him? Like, like like?"

Judy vigorously shook her head. "No, not at all. He is my dearest friend and I trust him, but there's nothing between us that would go beyond a healthy, platonic friendship."

"Hopefully." Silver barked, glaring at her.

"I can't shake the feeling that you have something against me." Judy blurted out, immediately covering her mouth afterwards.

Silver blinked a few times, before a dark laugh erupted from him.

"Judy, oh Judy. I thought you're more than just a dumb bunny. I admire you, although I despise your ability of working with a fox. A nice buck by your side would make the picture look brighter."

"Were you raised to hate foxes or did you have a personal encounter that made you dislike them so much?"

"Both." he said coldly, shrugging. "When I was still very young, I got harassed by a couple of foxes. I thought they're shifty and smell bad, but I didn't hate them entirely, because I actually managed to make friends with one, which was my worst mistake." he trailed off, closing his eyes.

"What happened?"

Silver opened his eyes again, the look on his face wasn't fierce or intimidating anymore, it was plainly sad. For the first time Judy saw his ears droop. She felt her heart skip a beat, she must've opened a very sensitive topic.

"One day I invited him home, I wanted my parents to meet him. They weren't very fond of him, but accepted my decision. I started to spend a lot of time with him and he slowly got to know my daily routine. So one day I was home alone with my father and there was a knock at the door. It was actually pretty late and I didn't want to open the door, but the knock was persistant and became more impatient over time. So I opened and looked into the most vicious eyes I've ever seen. Three foxes, including my friend, were infront of my door, they were crawling on all fours, releasing snarls and growls and I was really scared. I wanted to close the door, but they ran me over. Two of the foxes kidnapped my dad, who was screaming for help, screaming for mercy, but they didn't care. They dragged him down into our basement and all I heard were muffled screams. I started crying and panicking, I was only 13. My friend was there with me, staring at me with those piercing and intimidating eyes. I said that I am going to call the police, that's when he attacked me. He bit me several times, ripping off some of my flesh. He scratched my face multiple times with his sharp claws and made those vicious noises. It was a bloodcurdling experience. I was in so much pain and my blood loss was immense. I was sure he was going to eat me alive, but I passed out. When I woke up, the house was empty and the silence was deafening. I was barely able to walk due to my shaky legs and I was hurting really freaking bad. My sight was blurred since blood was dripping from my eyes, he had scarred my entire face. I stumbled down the stairs into our basement and that's when..." his voice trailed off and his paws started trembling. Judy could tell he was really fighting his tears and she felt so sorry, her heart was literally bleeding. Silver gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut as he started shivering really bad. Talking about his memories was really hard. "That's when I found my dad's corpse, or what was left of it. They had torn my father apart, the walls of our basement were covered with blood and claw marks. His organs were visible and his eyes were open. There was shock and pain written all over his lifeless face. I kneeled down beside him and cried for hours, before I actually called the police. To this day they still haven't found the foxes, they just disappeared. They had ripped off huge pieces of his flesh and it seems like they ate it, which is even more atrocious. Many bunnies attended my father's funeral and my mother... well, my mother committed suicide shortly after she found out, so I had to take care of myself, although I was still a kit. To this day I swore revenge, I swore to never let a fox come close to me again. They used me to get a good meal... and that meal was supposed to be one of my family members. I feel disgusted by myself that I ever trusted a fox." he explained, a single tear running down his scarred cheek.

Judy stared at him in disbelief, she couldn't believe foxes were capable of committing such an awful crime. She reached out for Silver and rested her paw on his, giving him the most compassionate look possible.

"I am so dearly sorry for your loss, I can't even describe it. It must be horrible to experience something like that. This is the most heartless and cruel thing I've ever heard of. Now I can truly understand your contempt against foxes." she reassured with a soft smile, which Silver actually returned with a timid nod.

"Thank you. Even though I really can't stand Felix at the moment, I am afraid that something similiar might've happened to him." he breathed worriedly, his gaze wandering towards the floor. Judy squeezed his paw and offered him a sweet smile.

"I promise we will find him."

"I trust you. But I want you to watch out, foxes were created by the devil, you never know what's going on inside their heads. They are very unpredictable and untrustworthy, so take care of yourself. I know you might be thinking that your precious partner is different from anyone else, but he is a fox and it's in his DNA, he can't shake it off. One day or another he might go nuts and harm you. It might be that he actually has a heart and you have a place there, but his instincts will overpower him. Next time he yawns, just check out those teeth and imagine what damage he could cause with those. Promise me to look after yourself." he said softly, tenderly caressing her paw. Judy gulped and politely removed her paw from his grip with a short nod.

"I will." she said. This rabbit had managed it to talk some serious doubt into her. She remembered the scene from last night, if she wouldn't have interfered, what would Nick have done to the raccoon? There was also a regional investigation about this case and it involved foxes, so he probably heard of it - why has he never told her anything about it?

"Thank you for sharing your story with me." she said and Silver straightened his posture with a reassuring nod.

"My pleasure."

"I will leave you my number, just in case you remember something important that could help me." she said and offered him a note with her number scribbled on it. He blinked a few times at the item in his paws and then looked into Judy's eyes.

"Oh.. uh.. thanks." he stammered with a timid grin.

"I will see myself out." she said and stood up. She turned around and climbed out of the warren, only to realise that it was completely dark outside. She sighed and made her way towards her car. She had to see Nick and tell him that the case is bigger than she thought.

* * *

Nick entered the bar and it was even more crowded than the other night. He looked around and spotted Lizzy sitting at the bar counter, playing with the straw inside of her drink. He adjusted his tie and walked towards her in a confident manner, nothing was going to stop him tonight.

He sat down beside her, wearing his usual smug grin as she turned to face him.

"You've made it in time." she stated impressed, as she looked around. "And it seems like you left your bunny at home." she added with a grin, to which Nick nodded, his own grin widening.

"Tonight I only have eyes for you, it's a promise." he whispered huskily into her ear, which made her shudder.

"That sounds lovely." she purred back into his ears. "You fancy a drink?"

"A strong one." Nick replied swiftly, his eyes darting towards the bartender, who was a slender female cheetah. He ordered a double Scotch and turned back to Lizzy.

"I wanted to apologize for last night, I was a little distracted. I felt the need to look after Carr- Judy and got carried away while doing so. You did not deserve this." he apologized. Lizzy sighed and took a sip of her drink.

"Why did she spend the night at your place?"

"How do you know?"

"Finnick stalked you." she admitted with a snicker. Nick shook his head and frowned.

"He's such a pain in the tail. I just didn't want her to go home alone in the middle of the night, but I was too drunk to bring her, so I told her could crash at my place."

"Did something ... happen?" Lizzy asked hesistantly. Nick tilted his head and furrowed his brows.

"Like what?"

"Like, you know what I am on about."

Nick gulped loudly and cleared his throat afterwards.

"Liz, that is absolutely delusional. How could you think such a thing?"

"Was just wondering."

"She is my friend, not my friend with benefits. Gross." Nick barked, lying through his teeth. Lizzy chuckled delightfully.

"I was actually really hoping that Finnick was just spreading ridiculous rumors, since you're way too handsome for that average bunny. You deserve a real woman." she said playfully, flashing him a suggestive smirk. Nick leaned against the counter with the laziest grin as he observed her. She was gorgeous in every way and really tempting, but somehow her seductive remarks didn't send shivers through his spine like _**hers **_did. He hated himself for thinking about Judy in such a situation and decided to gulp his glass of Scotch down at once. Lizzy frowned in surprise and stifled a chuckle.

"Go slow, big boy." she teased with a grin.

"Bartender," Nick called out to the cheetah. "Bring me six shots of Tequila."

"Seriously, take it slow." Lizzy pleaded.

"We are going to play a game, gorgeous." Nick replied with a flirty grin as the bartender placed six shots of Tequila infront of the two foxes.

"Alright, I'm down for whatever." she said with a confident grin.

* * *

Judy knocked at Nick's door, impatiently waiting for him to open, but he didn't. She kept knocking and at some point she called out his name, still no answer. She grabbed her phone and dialed his number, but it went straight to voicemail.

"That's odd." Judy murmured, before she knocked again. She waited infront of his door for at least ten minutes, before she decided to let it go.

"He must've gone out, but why did he turn his phone off?" she questioned herself as she rubbed her chin.

She left his apartment and started driving around town, maybe something had happened to him or maybe he was sulky that she just left and was taking a run.

Obtrusive neon lights caught her attention and she recognized the place, it was the bar. She parked the car and walked towards the entrace with a sigh. She was really hoping he wasn't in there, it would ruin his reputation over time if he kept drinking every weekend.

She pushed the doors open and looked around. The place was quite crowded and Judy drooped her sensitive ears as the loud music was bothering her. She walked further into the bar and spotted Nick sitting at the counter, with none other than the black vixen. They were staring deep into eachother's eyes, both holding a shot of Tequila. Nick seemed completely lost in her mesmerizing blue eyes, while Lizzy caught Judy's presence. Her blue eyes darted to Judy to find her purple ones and they exchanged a glare for a short moment, before Lizzy flashed Judy a smirk and gulped down the Tequila. Afterwards she concentrated on Nick again.

Judy's heart sank to the ground and she got really unpleasant goosebumps. Her legs started shaking as she took a few steps backwards. She wasn't able to leave the couple with her eyes, they were glued to Nick's lips and she was trying to read what he was saying, but telling from his grin it was something suggestive. Everything around Judy went numb, her vision became blurry due to her watery eyes and she ran away. She ran out of the bar into her car. She bumped her head against the steering wheel and tried to catch her breath. She could literally hear her heart break in two and that's when she couldn't hold it in anymore. She started crying and sobbing, pulling on her own ears. Basically she had no right to be this upset by his actions, but it ripped her heart out. He turned his phone off because he probably didn't want to be disturbed and he was drinking again, which only led to one logical conclusion - he was going to hook up with her. Soft sobs erupted from Judy, as she kept banging her head against the steering wheel. She leaned against her seat and tried to control her breathing, but there was no chance. She was so glad she didn't catch them kissing or anything. She pressed her paw against her heart tightly, feeling the pressure, feeling the guilt rushing through her veins.

"This is my fault." she whined softly, pressing her paw even harder against her chest. "Make it stop, oh lord, make this pain go away, I beg you."

Her paws were trembling and her lips were quivering, as she kept crying uncontrollably. Tears ran down her puffy cheeks like waterfalls and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to remain strong, but she never felt this weak.

She actually bit into the leather of the steering wheel with a loud snarl, there was a combination of sadness and rage inside of her.

"WHYYYYYYYY DID I LET HIM IN?! I AM SUCH A DUMB BUNNY! HOW COULD I EVER THINK HE LOVES ME?" she screamed with a trembling voice, only to cry even harder afterwards.

After a while she slowly started to collect herself, even though her breathing was still pretty heavy. She turned her head to look at the bar once more, a determined look on her damp face.

"That's it, Wilde. I am so done with you." she hissed darkly, before she wiped her last tears away and started the engine. She sighed deeply and drove off.

On her way home she kept starting to cry, although she tried to suppress it. She parked her car infront of her apartment building and kept sitting for a moment. She opened a window and inhaled the cold air. She cupped her face in her paws and sighed, her paws still shaky and soon her lips started trembling again. She was more than hurt, she was broken. She never thought her apparent crush could cause such damage. She thought it was harmless.

She lifted her head, a mournful look on her flawless face. She stared at the moon, a few tears escaping her eyes along with some soft sobs escaping her mouth.

"You are free, Nick. I hope she makes you happy." she whispered softly, before she closed her eyes, trying to hold it in - but it didn't work.

She started whining again, for what felt like eternity.

She had learned one thing - Silver was right. Never trust a fox.

* * *

**I know this is a really sad chapter, I just felt like it. **

**Before you express your sympathy and compassion for Judy and curse Nick - tell me what you think of Silver. (: **

**Happy reading~ xoxo**


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

* * *

Judy was still sitting in her car, the crying had made her tired. She closed her eyes for a moment and leaned against her seat, her mind racing. What if Nick was hurting? What if he would regret his choice in the morning? What if, what if...

So many question wandered through her mind and though she knew she wasn't his mother and didn't need to look after him, she could feel that he wasn't happy. She knew him well enough. This wasn't him, he wasn't acting like himself at all. Or maybe he was and has just proven to be a good actor?

Once again, she banged her head against the steering wheel.

"This is so hard." she grumbled to herself. She was insanely mad at the fox, but wasn't her intention to make the world a better place? How was life going to get better for Nick if he kept drinking himself into a coma on every possible occasion? He was her friend and she had to help him.

She clenched her tiny paws into tight fists as she sighed loudly.

"Not tonight, Liz. Sorry, boo." she whispered as she started the engine once again and drove back towards the bar.

* * *

Arriving at the scene Judy unlatched her seatbelt and focused on the doors of the bar for a few moments. She had to gather all her courage for what she was about to do. She took a deep breath and exhaled a long sigh. She rubbed her eyes once more, they were in a deep shade of red due to the whining, but she didn't care if Nick saw her like this. He knew she was sensitive.

She got out of her car and walked towards the bar. Almost an hour had passed since she first came here and Nick had imbibed quite an amount. Judy opened the door with a sorrowful sigh. Nick was still sitting at the counter, surrounded by three vixens. His goofy laugh echoed through the bar and filled Judy with even more sadness. It seemed like he was enjoying this.

Judy walked up to him and grasped his ear roughly, pulling him from his chair.

"Ow!" Nick yelped as he followed her reluctantly. Lizzy gasped and jumped up from her stool as she grabbed Nick's paw to pull him back, but Judy didn't let go.

"What do you think you're doing, bunny?" Lizzy growled with a fierce expression, but Judy ignored her.

"Carrots, let go!" Nick whined, frowning.

"You're coming with me." she replied in a determined tone. Nick couldn't say anything as Judy pulled his ear with even more pressure. Since fox ears were really sensitive he had no choice but to follow her.

Outside Judy let go of him and glared at him with crossed arms, tapping her feet. Nick held his ear in pain and groaned, before he turned his attention to Judy.

"What is this all about?" he asked annoyed, crossing his arms as well.

"You're coming home with me, I can't leave you alone for ten minutes, it's unbelievable."

"I can handle myself pretty well, _Judy_." he replied, narrowing his brows.

"Oh, it's Judy now, I see."

"It's your name, no?"

"Just follow me." she said with a sigh, gesturing him to walk towards the car. He cocked an eyebrow and snickered darkly.

"No way." he said coldly with a shrug.

"I have no time for your games! Stop being stubborn and come on." she hissed at him, her face features hardening. She was so pissed. Nick frowned in surprise as he surveyed her closely, making sure she's being serious.

"He is going nowhere." another dark voice chimed, catching Judy and Nick's attention. They both turned around. Lizzy stood infront of them, her expression less than pleased, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"He is coming home, NOW." Judy snorted at the black vixen.

"Did I stutter?" Lizzy snapped, bowing down to be on the same eye level with Judy. She glared at the grey rabbit. "_He is staying_."

Judy gulped, feeling a little intimidated by the vixen, but she kept her composure.

"I don't remember you being the mayor of Zootopia, honey. Don't tell me what to do, I am a cop after all. It wouldn't be too clever to threaten me, so just leave it. You can see him tomorrow." she snapped right back.

"Ladies, don't quarrel. I am going home, I'll give you a call, Liz." he said with an eyeroll.

"Why would you obey her?" Lizzy asked, coming back to her former posture, glancing at Nick.

"I am not obeying, just giving in. See you around." he snorted in annoyance as he walked towards the car. Judy winked at Lizzy.

"Awh, too bad." she taunted with a mischievous grin, before she followed Nick.

Lizzy watched their retreating figures, completely dumbfounded.

"We're not over yet." she hissed, before she walked back inside.

* * *

Judy started the engine and drove down the road. The silence between the two mammals was deafening. Nick looked out of his window with crossed arms and a pout, which was almost adorable - almost.

Judy was concentrated on the road. As she arrived infront of Nick's apartment she stopped the engine with a sigh. She turned to him, thinking of a way to start a conversation, but Nick exited the car wordless. Judy rolled her eyes and got out of the car as well, following him inside. Nick threw his keys aside and vanished into the bathroom.

Judy closed the main door and threw herself onto his couch with a long, thoughtful sigh. She nuzzled her face into one of his pillows and questioned herself. Was it the right decision? What if he's super mega ultra pissed now? She was scared of a fight.

"Explain yourself." an edgy voice erupted and caught Judy's attention. She came to a sitting position and glanced at the door frame, where Nick was standing. She crossed her legs beneath her and sighed, fiddling her paws nervously.

"Nick, look... I am worried about you." she declared timidly, avoiding eye contact. "You've been behaving weird lately and you've been drinking a lot. There must be a reason."

"I am perfectly fine and I do not need a babysitter." Nick snorted, his eyes focused on Judy, but she didn't even look up. Instead, she nodded.

"I know, you are right and I am sorry for invading your privacy. It's kind enough of you that you're letting me stay here, but we're friends and I thought we could tell eachother anything." she said, her voice cracking a little, as she finally looked up to meet Nick's green eyes. There was disappointment written all over them.

"I thought so too, until you decided to investigate on your own, meeting up with scary bucks in the middle of the night without telling me anything, even though you've been threatened. I was worried too, Carrots. But if you insist on cracking this case alone, have fun." he grunted, his brows furrowing as he spoke. Judy's eyes widened and her ears perked up.

"You... how... did you... follow me?" she asked in surprise. Nick crossed his arms and closed his eyes for a moment, before he spoke.

"It seemed like the most reasonable thing to do."

"What?! How? I have a personal life too, you know." she barked, feeling a little annoyed by the fact that he was actually following her around.

"How is it personal when we're partners on the force? You decided to leave me out of your investigations, because your new friend dislikes foxes. Don't think I didn't hear him talking about us like we're scum. And your attempts on defending me were very poor." he remarked, his voice trailing off at the last sentence. Judy stood up from the couch and approached him slowly, her ears drooping.

"I am sorry... I just..."

"Don't speak. I am very disappointed. I thought I could trust you, but it seems like you're putting your career over everything else - even our friendship. I can't work with someone that doesn't trust me after all we've been through." he snorted, facing the floor. His ears were droopy as well and his expression showed severe sorrow.

"Then why didn't you tell me how you feel? Instead you're hooking up with that vicious vixen, how is that going to solve our problems?" she said accusingly, but Nick just chuckled.

"There are no problems between us, Carrots. The coast is clear." he replied mournful, before he disappeared into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Judy drooped her ears even more, now it all made sense. She felt horrible for lying to him, he didn't deserve it. Of course that wasn't a reason to behave the way he did, but still ... he was hurting. Judy sighed and bit her lower lip, feeling her eyes sting as they filled with water once more. She was going to look like a total mess in the morning, but that was the least of her concerns. She walked towards the only window in the livingroom and stared into the sky, a few tears escaping her eyes.

"I want to make everything right, but end up making everything worse." she whispered to herself, squeezing her eyes shut.

A few minutes had passed. She let out a long sigh, before she sneaked into Nick's bedroom. All lights were turned off and she didn't want to wake him by turning them on, so she used the flashlight on her phone instead. She opened his dresser and searched for a blanket. She found one, a red one, that had - strangely enough - small carrots printed all over it. A sad smile crept up on her lips as she grabbed the blanket and pressed it against her chest. He must've bought it recently, as the price tag was still attached to it. She sighed and closed his dresser again, erasing the bright flashlight. Now the room was filled with darkness and nothing could be heard, except soft snores erupting from Nick's bed.

Judy walked towards his bed side and kneeled down infront of it, resting her head on the matress. She listened to his heavy breathing for a while, thinking he's dead asleep.

"Oh Nick." she whispered softly, hoping not to wake him. "I am so sorry, but why didn't you say anything? We could've talked it through, there was no need to make this a problem. You know I trust you with my life, you're the most important mammal for me. Internally I wanted to chop that rabbit's head off for the way he talked about foxes, especially _you_, but today I found out that he has some reasons to despise foxes... he had a rough youth. I just wanted to respect his requests and demands, I don't think he entirely hates foxes, he is just scared. This is about a missing mammal.. two to be exact. He is a key witness and I didn't want to piss him off, but it wasn't my intention to neglect you or make you feel left out. I am sorry if I hurt you, I made a terrible mistake. I know I can trust you.. your friendship has become so precious to me and you make me vulnerable... I hate when you're mad at me, I can't take it. I need you so much, I really do... and I want to solve this case together, there was a reason I wanted you as a partner, because I couldn't think of anyone that I'd rather spend my days with.. I am sorry.. so dearly sorry, something like this shall never occur again. I just hope you can forgive me..." she said quietly, inwardly hoping he would hear her, but as his snores got louder, she drooped her ears and slowly got up. She would have to tell him all of this tomorrow, when he's sober. A single tear ran down her cheek as she exited his bedroom and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it for a moment, sliding down the door. She ended up in a sitting position, her knees pressed against her chest, her head resting on her knees, her ears droopy, her eyes wet.

She exhaled a long sorrowful sigh as she allowed those tears to run down her face. Soft sobs erupted as she desperately tried to stay quiet. Waking Nick was the least thing she wanted to do at the moment. She slowly got up and made her way towards the couch. She got rid of her jeans and laid down, covering herself with the cute red carrot-blanket, her head resting on one of the cozy pillows. She faced the wall and curled herself into a ball, before she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Inside his dark bedroom Nick was rolling from side to side, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep. It wasn't the same when Judy wasn't laying beside him and it drove him nuts, especially in his drunk state of mind. As he heard the door open, he relaxed all his muscles and pretended to be asleep. He even snored to make it look more convincing.

As he heard Judy opening his dresser he opened one eye to survey her, but she was merely looking for a blanket. It made his heart clench that he left her in his living room without a blanket. As she found it he closed his eye again and kept feigning sleep.

Judy's knee crackled slightly as she kneeled down beside his bed and as she started to speak, Nick melted internally. Every word was wisely chosen and he could feel her voice trail off from time to time, as if she was trying not to cry during her small speech. Her words seemed sincere and honest, but he was too hurt to let her know that he's awake. This was the second time she had disappointed him, but this time felt even worse than the first. This time there was more to it, he felt way more vulnerable. Her explanation saddened him. As she was done talking, she hesitated to stand up, as if she was waiting for some kind of reply, but Nick couldn't bring himself to talk. He had to proceed her words first. She exited his bedroom and he let out a long, mournful sigh.

He heard her lean against his door and for a moment he thought she was eavesdropping, but as he heard her soft sobs, his heart ripped into two. He felt horrible for making her cry, but he felt attached to his bed, his lips glued together. He wasn't sure how to react.

As she finally got up he listened to her getting comfortable on the couch and he released a relieved sigh, but as the sobs didn't stop, he felt his gut twist painfully. His expression saddened and he came to a sitting position.

_Damn, Wilde, pull it together, _he thought, gritting his teeth. Maybe it would be better to wait until tomorrow, but his mother taught him to never let a girl go to bed bawling her eyes out. So he sighed and got up.

* * *

Judy was dozing on the couch, the fur around her eyes still damp. Her mind wouldn't let her sleep, but her eyes wouldn't let her stay awake either. She was somewhere in the middle, so she didn't catch that a door opened.

She sniffled, snuggling the blanket tightly. She was awfully upset about the situation, she hated fighting, especially with someone as important as Nick.

Her eyes shot open as she felt strong arms with a familiar scent wrapping around her waist, cradling her. She relaxed her muscles and inhaled deeply. She turned around to face Nick, who was laying dangerously close beside her now, his arms resting around her waist. She smiled widely and nuzzled her muzzle into the soft fur of his scrag.

"Nick, I-"

"Shhh." he shushed her soothingly. "We will talk tomorrow, rest now."

She smiled into his fur and wrapped her arms around his neck. Now it was way easier for her to fall asleep. Nick sighed loudly before he closed his eyes.

Judy couldn't stop smiling, she knew Nick had a soft side, but she hadn't expected him to forgive her that easily.

She didn't care that they were going to sleep on the couch, she just enjoyed his closeness.

Soon they both drifted off to sleep, tightly snuggled against one another.

There was still a lot to talk about, but right now they just enjoyed each other's presence.

* * *

**This is way fluffier than the last one, hope it pleases you guys! xoxo**

**Opinions? (:**


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

* * *

Judy was the first one to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open and she needed a moment to gain her whole consciousness. She noticed that her face was pressed against a wall of soft, cream fur. She backed away slightly and started grinning like a kit. She had to withdraw her urge to giggle. She grasped a streak of his fur and gently twirled it around her delicate fingers, biting her lower lip in happiness. She could feel his chest vibrate as he was snoring peacefully. She knew their bond had become a lil' too strong over the last days and he was overstrained by it, so she had to take a step back, but this time it was him who decided to wrap her in his arms and cuddle - if you could consider this as cuddling, that is. So there was no shame in playing with his fur a little bit, was it? Besides, why shouldn't platonic friends be allowed to touch each other's fur? It's natural.

Judy's train of thoughts got interrupted roughly by the ringing of Nick's phone. She flinched mildly and accidently pulled on the streak between her fingers. A loud yelp erupted from Nick and his eyes shot open abruptly. Judy let go of his fur and backed away with a nervous grin.

"Sowwy..." she whispered timidly, observing his reaction cautiously. He stroked his chest fur and looked around in confusion. His head was spinning and there was this annoying headache again. He massaged his own temples with a loud groan, before he slowly got up to pick up his phone. It seemed like he hadn't even looked at Judy once since he woke up, which left an uneasy feeling inside of her.

Nick grabbed his phone and grunted in annoyance. He picked up with a long sigh.

"Lizzy." he said emotionless, which made Judy's ears twitch in caution.

"Oh no, grumpy fox. It's Mandy! I wanted to ask if I could talk to Judy for a short moment, if you don't mind." Mandy asked politely. Nick cocked an eyebrow and turned around to face Judy. They locked eyes and both seemed bewildered for a moment.

"Hello?" Mandy said as she got no response. Her voice was high-pitched like Judy's, but a little softer.

"Oh, uhm, sure, wait." Nick stammered as he handed his phone to Judy. She tilted her head as she took it in her paws and hesitated to draw it towards her ear, but Nick gestured her to pick the phone up.

"Mandy?" Judy asked timidly.

"Hey, doll! How are you, are you okay?" Mandy's sweet voice chirped on the other side of the line, which made Judy crack a smile.

"Oh, I am fine, yes. What about you?"

"I am great, thank you. I wanted to ask if you could meet me infront of the bar in about an hour? I wanted to talk to you in person." Mandy requested, which made Judy furrow her dark eyebrows.

"The time I am spending at this bar is gettin' out of hand." Judy replied jocularly. "But I can arrange that."

"Purr-fect! See you then, doll!" Mandy sang into the phone before she hung up without another word. Nick's gaze was fixated on Judy and he looked really puzzled. Judy looked at the phone, before her eyes turned towards Nick with a shrug.

"Do you think that's a good idea, Carrots? I mean, Lizzy could be there and we both know she isn't too fond of you." Nick remarked worriedly, which made Judy chuckle.

"It's so sweet how you're always so worried about me, but I can handle myself, I've learned from a big bad fox, forgot?" she teased with a grin.

Nick sighed with obvious annoyance, before he turned around to go to the bathroom, but Judy grabbed his arm and swung him around again. Nick raised an eyebrow as he locked eyes with her. She shot him an apologetic look and flashed him a timid smile.

"Nick, look... I don't want things to be awkward between us. We make such a good team and it would be sad to let it go to waste. From your reaction last night I assume that you heard me talk... and I want you to know that I mean it. I am sorry and when I get back I will fill you in with all clues I've gotten so far, deal?" she asked sweetly. Nick's facial expression was edgy and his eyes stared blankly at her, which made her swallow. After a moment of silence, Nick's posture softened.

"Fine." he sighed with a nod, which made Judy's violet eyes lit up. She grinned widely and gasped with excitement.

"You're the best, Slick!" she chirped as she punched his shoulder lightly.

"I'm sure." he groaned, before he turned around and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

* * *

About an hour had passed and Nick was still locked in the bathroom. Judy was sitting on the couch, the carrot blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she watched some Cartoons. Her eyes darted towards the clock on the wall and she sighed impatiently. She had to get ready to meet up with Mandy in a few minutes, but Nick was still blocking the bathroom. She had to brush her teeth!

She felt relieved that she was able to prevent another fight with Nick and that they seemed to get along better now, even though she noticed that he was still a little annoyed and sulky, but she was sure he'd get over it by time.

She got up and walked towards the bathroom and knocked.

"Nick? I gotta brush my teeth." she called out, but got no response. She knocked again, no response. That left her a bit flustered and her knockes got more intense.

"Hey Nick, open up!" she yelled, her voice eager and worried.

"Nick, I'll break this door down if you don't open in 5.."

"...4"

"...3"

Judy backed away from the door, ready to break it with a jump. Before she was about to run, the door swung open and revealed a shirtless fox with damp fur.

"Geez, calm down." he murmured, drying off with a towel. Judy blinked a few times before she coughed awkwardly.

"Uh, sorry. Why weren't you opening up? You had me concerned."

"I was showering, therefore I was naked, sorry bunbun." he remarked emotionless before he turned around to look at the mirror. Judy's eyes widened at the thought and she turned away, hiding her face. She was so embarrassed. Nick then walked past her into the living room, not even looking at her. She took a deep breath and entered the bathroom to brush her teeth, although she was lost in thoughts while doing so.

As she was done she walked back into the living room and spotted Nick sitting on the couch, a bowl of blueberries in his paws. His posture was calm, but there was annoyance written all over his face. Was it because of her? She approached him slowly and sat down beside him. Luckily he was fully dressed by now.

"Something wrong?" she asked, flashing him a concerned look, but he just shrugged.

"Nope. Don't you have somewhere to be?" he asked, his eyes fixated on the TV screen, even though it wasn't even on anymore. Judy cocked an eyebrow and rubbed her chin.

"I wonder what's going on inside that nasty head of yours." she teased with a chuckle, but Nick just sighed.

"Not much."

"Seriously though, what's bothering you?"

Nick groaned as he finally turned to look at her with an annoyed expression.

"Carrots, I just need to take a nap and I'll be fine." he said, his tone a little edgy, which worried Judy even more. She considered to cancel her date with Mandy to find out what was wrong with him, but maybe he needed some space. She decided to change the topic, but didn't choose very wisely.

"So, I wanted to thank you." she said, looking down at her feet. Nick cocked an eyebrow in surprise, but tried to stay as emotionless as possible.

"For what?"

"For keeping me from doing the worst mistake ever on Friday." she declared with a snicker. Nick tilted his head slightly and a small grin crept up his lips, though he tried to suppress it.

"I don't dwell on scaring that raccoon off." he stated in a low voice.

"Oh, I didn't mean that actually." Judy blurted out, glancing at Nick, who now looked kinda surprised.

"Oh?"

"I mean, there was a very intimate situation between us outside the bar and we were both really drunk and it could've happened that I would have gotten lost in the heat of the moment and.. you know.. maybe I would've kissed you or something stupid like that, but your reaction was pretty neat and averted anything like that from happening, so I wanted to thank you." she explained, internally scolding herself for not choosing something else as a topic. She watched Nick's face expression harden even more as he turned away with disgust. He was quiet for a moment, before he turned towards her again.

"So, kissing me would be your worst mistake?" he asked, his voice sore and bitter. Judy felt like banging her head against the wall, why would she say something so stupid and insignificant? It just slipped her mouth. That's what you get from speaking faster than you can actually think.

"That's not what I meant!" she said quickly, her heartbeat increasing. "It just... would've made things between us even more awkward, you know? I.. I don't know why I even mentioned it, I was confused... I am sorry... uh.."

"It's fine. You're right, I guess. So it's no biggie." he said, trying to hide the hurt inside his voice. While he was still scolding himself for backing out, she was actually glad he did. It blew his mind, he was utterly confused now and not sure where the road would lead to... into nowhere, it seemed. It was probably for the better, though. Feelings were confusing. Feelings could ruin everything. Feelings for your partner on the force would only lead to trouble. That being said, he was now sure he could move on, 'cause she basically just told him that she felt nothing for him. It hurt, but it was good to know.

"I... will just go now." she stammered nervously before she got up and left his apartment in a rush. She ran down the corridor and jumped into her car, breathing heavily as she pressed herself into her seat.

_What did I just do?_, she whispered to herself, regretting every word she said. This way Nick was never going to get the hint that she viewed him as more than just a friend... on the other paw, this should relax the mood between them. Since Nick seemed a little distant lately, maybe this false statement would bring him back to being the old Nick that would joke around and never stop grinning. And it gave her more time to think about it. She had been so overwhelmed by her sudden feelings lately, that she never came to think about what a relationship between her and Nick would actually be like and if it was even possible. He was a predator and she was prey, so that'd mean that they were never going to have kits, correct? The kissing could be a little difficult due to their differently shaped snouts and the height difference and the mating ... oh gosh, the mating. How? Just how? And she wasn't even sure if he was someone she could imagine a future with, someone she could imagine spending her life time with. She knew he was an awesome friend, but that didn't automatically mean that he'd also be an awesome lover. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. She surely needed a little more time to think all these aspects through, because if she didn't plan on spending her whole life with him, she wouldn't dare to risk their friendship for a fling.

She snapped back to reality as she remembered her meeting with Mandy. She started the engine and drove off.

* * *

Arriving at the scene Judy spotted the white vixen leaning against a wall, checking her phone, wearing a black dress and a pink blouse. Her dark chocolate brown eyes darted up as she heard Judy honk. She cracked a friendly smile and approached Judy's car, getting comfortable in the passenger seat. They greeted each other with a short hug, before Mandy fastened her seat belt. They couldn't go inside the bar, since it was closed during day time and only opened at night. Judy locked eyes with Mandy and smiled.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Hmm, I guess we could go to the central lake, there's a nice park area around it and we could get cozy on some of the benches there, so no one can disturb us." Mandy suggested with a smile. Judy nodded in agreement, returning her kind smile.

"The lake it is."

They arrived there within a few minutes and got out of the car. Mandy led the way, since Judy hadn't been here before. As they found a nice looking wooden bench, they both sat down. Judy crossed her legs beneath her and was stunned by the beautiful view.

"Wow, it's really awesome here." she breathed, to which Mandy nodded.

"Oh yes, I love going here to clear my mind and think about things. Helps me relax." Mandy vowed.

"So, you needed to talk to me?" Judy asked, glancing at the white vixen. Mandy crossed her legs and took a deep breath, before she finally glanced back at Judy.

"Yeah. Look, doll, -"

"Doll?" Judy interrupted her with a snicker.

"Oh yes! You kind of look like a stuffed animal with your unique violet eyes, so I thought it's a suiting pet name." Mandy explained with a short giggle, that made Judy smile.

"How cute, thanks. I didn't mean to interrupt you, so please carry on."

"It's about Lizzy." Mandy murmured, staring at her feet for a second, before she turned back to Judy with a long sigh. "I am a little worried about her recently, she hasn't been acting like herself and I am afraid she might take it out on you - so I wanted to warn you. Don't cross her path at night." Mandy declared with droopy ears, she felt horrible for talking like this about her beloved sister, but something was off about her and she was really scared that Judy could get hurt.

Judy cocked an eyebrow and perked her ears up. She immediately got an idea and her mind started wandering around those threats she had been getting, but she wanted to gather more information before blurting her assumptions out.

"What are you implying?" Judy asked puzzled. Mandy hesitated to answer and looked around the park with a shrug.

"Just be careful."

"Mandy, there must be a concrete reason you called me here to talk about this."

"Surely, but I don't know if I should really talk about it, it's a little personal and I don't wanna share Lizzy's darkest secrets." Mandy said, her eyes facing the floor. Judy rested her paw on Mandy's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

"My lips are sealed."

"Fine." Mandy breathed, glancing at Judy. "There is a specific reason Lizzy became so obsessed with Nick. I mean, he's all she ever talks about and she views you as a serious threat. You're basically standing in her way and I'm afraid she'd do nearly anything to get you out of the picture, if you catch me."

"But why? I mean, he's handsome and charming, but she doesn't even know him."

"Right. Lizzy's heart is broken - or more likely shattered into pieces. She was about to get married a few months ago, she had found her true love and she would've done anything for Tank. She literally adored him."

"What happened?" Judy asked, her ears drooping. She was sure this wouldn't be a nice story and she could clearly see the hurt in Mandy's chocolate eyes. It wasn't easy for her to talk about it.

"He dumped her in the worst way possible, he was a real dick to her. He got down and dirty with another female and Lizzy found out and confronted him, but all he did was laugh at her. He broke up, took his things and vanished into the night, building a new future with his new girlfriend. Lizzy fell into deep depression, she was sure he was going to be her mate for life and she felt used and lonely. I did everything to cheer her up, but nothing was really working. She even considered to forgive him, but he wouldn't answer her calls and just avoid her completely. It broke her heart and she spent countless nights crying herself to sleep. It was devastating to see her in such a state." Mandy explained, her voice trembling. Judy shot her an apologetic glance, she felt really sorry for the black vixen, it must hurt like hell if the one you adore chooses someone else over you, even though you would've chosen him over anybody else.

"That's really sad, but I don't get the connection to Nick."

"Well, when she met Nick, she became a whole new mammal. Her eyes were sparkling again and she was able to actually laugh. She talked a lot about him and got lost in her imagination and dreams. It got a little out of hand when you showed up, though. Nick is something like Tank's doppleganger, they look insanely alike, I think that's the reason she got into it way too deep."

"Oh, that makes sense." Judy said, rubbing her chin shortly. "And she got scared I could take him from her like the other female took Tank from her, no?"

"Exactly. The thing is... well... the other female... was prey, too. That's why she's so possessive. Tank left her for a pretty roe deer." Mandy explained with a long sigh.

"Oh, jesus." Judy blurted out. It all made sense now. Though, it wasn't Judy's or Nick's fault that Lizzy had to experience such an awful thing.

"There's nothing more humiliating for a predator than losing your lover to prey."

"I see." Judy mumbled, not sure how to react.

"I am not interested in Finnick either, I just used him to gather information about Nick... Lizzy asked me to do it and she's my sister, my only relative left, so I'd do anything for her." Mandy admitted timidly, her eyes hitting the floor in shame.

"Oh." Judy said, too confused for words. "That must be tough." she added, not sure how it felt like to have no relatives left.

"I am really ashamed, because I can tell that Finnick genuinely likes me, but I just don't return those feelings. It's awful." Mandy complained in a low voice, which made Judy droop her ears even more.

"I am sorry."

"No need to."

"You know, I've been getting strange letters with threats ever since they first went out together, uhm...-"

"No, no. That's not her style. I can assure you that." Mandy interrupted her with a blank expression. Judy furrowed her brows and nodded timidly.

"Oh, okay."

An awkward silence extended around the two mammals, who both fiddled their paws nervously, staring at the floor.

"Mandy, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, shoot." Mandy replied, glancing at Judy.

"Do you happen to know a vixen called Trisha?"

"Oh, sure! I went to school with her and we were pretty good friends... well, until she told me who her boyfriend was." Mandy declared, her voice cracking at the last sentence.

"Oh? Who?"

"Some rabbit called Felix. Their relationship wasn't getting the acceptance they had hoped for and as far as I know they left town."

"You think they just left town together?" Judy asked surprised.

"Yeah."

"Do you know a rabbit called Silver?"

"Oh yes, Trisha has mentioned him once or twice, seems like a vicious creature. Never met him in person, though."

"What did she tell you?" Judy asked, not wanting to come off as too forward.

"She told me that he threatened to get her killed and such, he chased her off his ground and was pernicious."

"Well, you know, Felix and Trisha have been declared as missing. I believe it has something to do with Silver, but I have no evidence. If you know anything about this story, I would be really thankful for clues." Judy said, giving Mandy a stern look. Mandy gulped and leaned back against the bench, wanting to disappear. She had forgotten she was actually talking to a cop.

"Look, doll. I know nothing about Silver, I really don't. Last time I spoke to Trisha she said something about disappearing before they get caught, but to this day I don't know what she meant. Silver really despises predators, especially foxes and it would add up that he is keeping them hostage."

"He has a really dark background story, you know anything about that?"

"Well, I heard that his father was killed by savage foxes. The case was all over the media and I can't shake the feeling that it has something to do with my family... my grandfather had rabies and was a really dangerous and gruesome creature, nothing like Nick or myself. Well, my father turned out normal after all, but my uncle went missing shortly after she case was shown in local TV. In an attempt to find him, my father went missing as well. My uncle had always behaved a little weird, he loved meat of all kind and said some bloodcurdling things about prey, which gave my mother the total creeps. It's still somewhere in our DNA, today they call it savage, but I guess it's rabies. I think I turned out pretty humble, but Lizzy has the same short temper as my uncle. That's why I am scared that something might happen to you." Mandy explained shyly, really ashamed of her history. Judy's eyes widened in surprise.

"You think your relatives have something to do with the attack?"

"Not necessarily, but they were somehow involved, otherwise they wouldn't have disappeared. It's just a guess, though."

"How old is your uncle?"

"About 38."

"The same age as Silver.. has he ever befriended a rabbit in his youth?"

"I have no idea, I wasn't too fond of my uncle Diesel, while Lizzy admired him." Mandy said, her voice just above a whisper. Judy could tell that this topic made Mandy really nervous, so she wanted to give her some space.

"I see, but what happened to your mother?"

"She died two years ago. Cancer."

"I am so sorry for your loss, hun." Judy said soothingly, flashing Mandy an apologetic look. Mandy just nodded.

"Thanks."

Judy tried to solve this enigma inside her head, without making it obvious. Maybe the death of Silver's father and the disappearence of Mandy's relatives were connected in some way. She was cautious to point out that Mandy's uncle could be the fox that was befriended with Silver, but she kept that thought in mind. She really needed to talk about this with Nick. Maybe he knew some way to get more clues.

"So, about Nick..." Mandy said timidly, stopping Judy's train of thought. "...does he feel something for Lizzy?"

Judy glanced at Mandy, her ears still droopy. She never asked him, so she wouldn't know and she was afraid to give out false information. The thought of Nick actually liking Lizzy send unpleasant chills down her spine, but she had to suppress it.

"I have never asked him, to be honest." she said coyly, playing with one of her ears nervously. Mandy cocked an eyebrow and nodded slowly.

"I see... uhm... Lizzy is assuming that there's some interaction between you and Nick... like friends... with benefits. Is that true?" Mandy asked, obviously a little uncomfortable about asking such a personal question. Judy's eyes widened and her ears perked up again. She shook her head vigorously.

"What? Hell no. Nothing like that, I swear." she barked, feeling her legs slowly become numb beneath her. She changed her sitting position and sighed. "Why does everyone think that?"

"It's the way you two look at each other and how you're always spotted together, even off duty. It leads to assumptions, but I told Lizzy right away that she was being delusional. That thing between Trisha and Felix caught enough negative attention already, interspecies couples just aren't meant to be, I guess. I could accept it, though! It would be weird, yes, but things like that happen every now and then." Mandy said with a shrug. Judy relaxed a bit and glanced at Mandy.

"What about you? Are you interested in him? No offense, but I think you would suit him better. He needs someone who's stable, positive, honest and sweet... and your sister is pretty much the opposite, I guess." Judy said, hoping Mandy would get the hint that Judy isn't pleased about Lizzy and Nick being together in any kind of way.

Mandy snickered delightfully and locked eyes with Judy, flashing her a charming smile. "Doll, Nick is an attractive fox, but I would never take an interest in someone my sister has laid her eyes on. I certainly do not have a death wish." she said jocularly.

"That doesn't necessarily mean that you wouldn't give him a chance if your sister wasn't interested in him." Judy pointed out with a shrug.

"I don't really know him, so it's hard to tell. I am more into white foxes, though. But he surely has nice eyes. I haven't looked at him like _that, _to be blunt. Barely talked two words with him." Mandy replied with a thoughtful expression.

"So, you have no boyfriend?" Judy asked a little surprised. That vixen infront of her was the definition of beauty, fluffy white fur with dark grey markings and those warm chocolate eyes, a deep black nose and a very bushy tail. She was gorgeous - and that made her wonder why Nick could've chosen the black vixen instead, he met both vixens the same evening. Even a blind fox would notice how different these sisters were. Lizzy was incredibly attractive as well, but nothing compared to her sister.

"No, no. My last relationship went down the drain and since then I promised myself to look after Lizzy. I don't need no man." she said confidently with a smug grin, which Judy returned with a chuckle.

"That's the spirit." she joked, playfully punching Mandy's shoulder, which made both girls giggle.

They kept talking and giggling for a while and Mandy told Judy a lot about her childhood and about fox habits, but Judy kept zoning out. She was trying to figure out where she could find the two missing mammals... or more likely the four missing mammals. Time was ticking and she needed to get more clues as soon as possible. Maybe Felix was in danger.

And somehow she couldn't shake the feeling that her threats had something to do with this case as well.

She now knew her uncle's name was Diesel - all she needed to do now was to get the name of the fox that attacked Silver and perhaps she would be closer to cracking this case, than she actually imagined.

Firstly she had to talk to Nick, though.

* * *

**Whoo, we're slowlyyyy getting closer to solving this twisted case! But it'll get even bigger, just wait. **

**This story still has a long way to go, so stay tuned~**

**What's your impression of Mandy? Is she nice or just the devil in disguise? (:**

**And what about Lizzy? Feeling sorry for her? Share your thoughts with me in the reviews, I appreciate them so much! xoxo **


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

* * *

After a while of talking Judy dropped Mandy at her home and they hugged each other for goodbye.

Judy drove off and Mandy stood infront of her apartment, which she shared with her sister. Mandy gulped loudly and entered the building. She found claw marks on the walls of the living room and her clothes distributed around the place, which caused her to cock an eyebrow in confusion.

"Lizzy?" she called out, feeling a little scared. All she heard were muffled growls from the bathroom, so she approached she room slowly and peeked around the corner. Lizzy was sitting on the ground of the shower, cold water running down her back, her knees pressed up against her chest, her ears droopy. She was facing Mandy with her back. Mandy gasped and rushed to Lizzy's side, kneeling down beside her.

"Lord, Lizzy, what happened to you?" she asked, mild panic heard in her voice.

"Where have you been?" Lizzy asked in a low voice, not even glancing at her sister.

"I was out, why?"

"Because you betrayed me!" Lizzy barked, turning around to face Mandy with vicious eyes and a dark scowl. Mandy backed away, panting. She was used to emotional outbursts from Lizzy, but this time she seemed very pernicious, which gave Mandy the creeps.

"What are you talking about?" Mandy snapped, regaining her composure.

"You were with him." Lizzy whined, squeezing her eyes shut. Mandy tilted her head and frowned in confusion.

"Who?"

"You were with Nick, weren't you? I saw that you gave him a call. I am so disappointed, I thought sisters always stick together." Lizzy mumbled bitterly, slowly opening her eyes to glance at her sister, who seemed beyond bewildered.

"Come on, get out of the shower. I will make us some tea and we'll talk about it." Mandy offered with a sweet smile. After a bit of hesistance, Lizzy gave in and nodded.

"Let me get changed real quick." Lizzy said. Mandy nodded and left the bathroom to set up some warm tea.

She entered the kitchen and spotted that the whole living room was covered in deep claw marks, which gave her chills. What had Lizzy been doing? It looked like she went completely nuts while Mandy was gone and took a cold shower to calm down. Mandy swallowed harshly, she was aware that her sister was very short-tempered, but this was new. Pieces of Mandy's clothes were scattered around the place, some were ripped, some were dirty. Mandy raised an eyebrow, it seemed like Lizzy was very mad at her and she was grateful that she didn't come home until now - God knows what Lizzy would've done to her. Of course it drove Lizzy insane that Mandy could've been with Nick, but what if Mandy told her that she was actually with Judy? That would be ten times worse, so she had to think of something. There was no way she could tell Lizzy the truth - no freaking way. It was no secret that Mandy was a tiny bit afraid of her slightly taller sister. The white vixen got lost in thought as she poured two cups of tea, thinking of a good explanation. She should've deleted the call she gave Nick, how stupid of her to forget that.

Mandy snapped back to reality as she heard a loud grunt. She looked up and spotted Lizzy leaning in the door frame, her arms crossed, a vicious frown on her face. Mandy took a deep breath, took the two cups and walked towards the large couch in the living room. She placed the cups on the table and sat down, glancing at Lizzy, who hadn't moved an inch. She gestured her black sister to sit down beside her. Lizzy sighed deeply, before she threw herself on the couch beside Mandy.

"So?" Lizzy grunted impatiently, glancing at her sister. Her expression was fierce and intimidating. Mandy gulped once more, before she got into a comfortable sitting position and turned to her sister.

"I was at the central lake."

"Alone?" Lizzy asked. Mandy drooped her ears and started fiddling her paws nervously. She tried to focus on Lizzy's eyes, but the shame inside of her forced her eyes to dart around the living room.

"Nope, but I wasn't with Nick."

"Why did you call him then?" Lizzy asked, her voice edgy and her facial features hardening even more.

"Liz, I would never dare to even think about taking someone you like from you. You should know me better. I had no ulterior motives, I swear."

"Mandy, just answer my question." Lizzy breathed impatiently.

Mandy hesitated to answer, she wasn't entirely sure what to say. "I... uh.. I called him to confront him about his odd behavior last night.. he dumped you for the second time now and I was ... angry. Yeah, that's it. He didn't have much to say, though." Mandy explained, guilt rushing through her veins for lying to her beloved sister. There was silence between the sisters for a moment and Lizzy surveyed Mandy closely, her expression still very dark and bitter. After a moment, she sighed and her face expression softened.

"I should've known you're not like that. I am sorry for destroying your clothes, I was just so shocked that you'd do something like that. You know I have severe anger issues ever since Tank left me... please forgive me, I'll buy you new clothes." Lizzy apologized frantically and Mandy's heart melted as she spotted the blue eyes of her sister getting watery. She gave her a tight hug and sighed sorrowful.

"I don't need new clothes, it's fine. Please don't cry, I understand your misery." Mandy soothed her sister, fondling the black vixen's ears to solace her.

They let go of each other and Lizzy stared at the floor for a moment, trying to hold it in. She had a massive urge to cry a waterfall now. Her sister was the only one she could rely on, the only one who'd never let her down and she destroyed her clothes and went totally savage over such a stupid misunderstanding.

"I am so sorry, oh jesus." Lizzy panted, biting her lower lip in agony. Mandy drooped her ears and rested a paw on Lizzy's shoulder to soothe her.

"Don't be, it's completely fine. I know you're emotionally unstable, I can deal with it."

"It's not fine!" Lizzy snapped, locking eyes with her sister. Her expression was somewhere between sorrow and anger. "I need to get my emotions under control! Tank destroyed everything! He left me and took my happiness with him, I feel like a wreck. I've become so useless, my whole existance seems pointless to me." Lizzy whined, a few tears running down her cheeks. It broke Mandy's heart to see her sister in such a state, she felt so helpless.

"Liz, please, don't talk like that. You know you're all I have, I would surrender my life for you, so please don't ever consider leaving me all alone in this world, I beg you." Mandy replied, her voice trembling as well.

"I wouldn't." Lizzy stated, her voice just above a whisper now. "But... it can get so lonely. I am a grown woman and I had to move back in with my sister, I feel like I am constantly bothering you, like I'm some kind of burden. You offered me a nice place to stay after Tank left, but this can't be the final solution. I was depending on the promises he made, I thought I'd have a future - it's time for me to finally have kits! It's so depressing that mommy had to die without ever seeing any of her grandchildren. Everyone I've ever relied on seems to fade away at some point - and I feel like it's all my fault! No matter how hard I try and no matter what I do, there's always someone they'd choose over me, I am never the first choice... and with Nick it's just the same." Lizzy complained.

Mandy sighed deeply. It saddened her so much to see her sister so upset and she just wished she could do something to make Nick love her, but she knew it wasn't going to work - he was too attached to Judy and there was no way she'd do anything to destroy their happiness, even if it meant her sister had to keep suffering.

"I think you should let go of Nick. He's just not right for you."

"How are you supposed to know? He's kind, sweet and very charming. I love spending time with him, but that pathetic bunny has to ruin everything." Lizzy growled, turning away.

"Liz, I hate to disagree with you, but you can't go around insulting random mammals, because you don't get your will. It seems like Nick has no particular interest in you, please don't dwell on it. There are tons of other nice foxes out there."

"I don't want anybody else." Lizzy snapped fiercely. Mandy felt the urge to gasp, but suppressed it forcefully. Instead, she swallowed and backed away.

"You're getting into this way too deep, why won't you let your heart heal instead of trying to break it again?"

"It won't break, I'll win him over. There's no way he'd ever get intimate with a freakin' bunny, that would be ridicilous. I won't give up just yet." Lizzy said, her voice a little softer now. Mandy rolled her eyes and sighed loudly.

"Please, stop dreaming. This is the real deal and your wishes and dreams don't just magically come true. Please wake up! Besides, he's an officer and surely doesn't have too much time for a relationship. It seems like he's not ready to settle down, please forget about him." Mandy pleaded, hoping to talk some sense into her possessive sister.

"Are you trying to talk me out of it because you like him?" Lizzy asked, glancing at her sister. Mandy's eyes widened and she released an awkward snicker.

"Are you kidding? Don't be weird."

"It surely does make sense, though. First the call and now you're trying to tell me to forget him... Mandy, be honest." Lizzy muttered, her facial features hardening again.

"I certainly don't like him like that, Liz. You're being delusional. Stop viewing me as a threat, I am not only your sister, but also your best friend. The way you think about me offends me." Mandy complained, giving her sister a stern look. Lizzy relaxed slightly, but kept staring at Mandy blankly.

"I am not fully convinced. Something smells fishy. I do know that you're not interested in Finnick the slightest, so it would add up that you're looking for another mate and we both know Nick is a catch. I won't eat you for liking him, may the better vixen win his heart."

"I am sick of this shit." Mandy snapped, glaring at her sister. That caught Lizzy off guard and she gave Mandy an utterly surprised look. "You are only trying to distract yourself from Tank, which is understandable, but that doesn't give you the right to barge into some random fox's life and turn it around. Nick doesn't like you, can't you see? He's all up that bunny's butt and only uses you as a distraction. Basically, you both don't like each other, you only use each other. I believe in true love, Liz - and I know you do, too. Stop pretending that dating a fox that looks just like Tank will unbreak your heart. You know nothing about Nick, you became obsessed with him because he's a copy of Tank! Stop denying it." Mandy ranted, feeling tired of the drama.

Lizzy blinked a few times, barely even breathing. She took her time to let Mandy's word sink in. She felt overwhelmed by Mandy's little outburst, she wasn't used to it. Mandy was a very soft and compassionate predator. Lizzy took a deep breath and nodded reluctantly.

"Even if that's the case, that doesn't mean I don't sincerely like him. He seems perfect." Lizzy grumbled, crossing her arms.

"But he does not like you." Mandy breathed, feeling exhausted.

"How would you know?"

"Call it a premonition. I only want what's best for you." Mandy vowed, offering her sister a friendly smile, which was immediately returned.

"I know, I am so sorry." Lizzy apologized, gritting her teeth. "I haven't been myself lately. I just thought that meeting someone new would get my mind off Tank, but it doesn't work entirely. Perhaps I need to give myself a little more time. Next time I see Nick, I will approach him more nicely and less excessive. Maybe that's the reason he doesn't like me. I will watch a movie with him and get to know him better before jumping into the cold water... you're a miracle. I am so grateful."

"Geez." Mandy blurted out with an eyeroll. "That wasn't exactly my intention, but yeah, do whatever you please. Just be careful."

"I will, no worries. Let's clean this mess." Lizzy said, pointing at the ripped clothes. Mandy sighed and nodded. They both got up and started cleaning.

Mandy wasn't sure if it was the right decision to remain silent about her meeting with Judy, but for now it seemed reasonable. Lizzy was obviously having a really hard time and she didn't mean to aggravate her misery at the moment.

She just hoped everything would eventually turn out for the better, that the missing mammals would be found and that Lizzy would meet some other nice predator and forget about Nick.

A vixen can dream.

* * *

Judy arrived at Nick's apartment and was eager to tell him about everything she found out. She knocked on his door and he opened almost immediately, even though he looked sleepy. He greeted her with a nod and a small yawn.

"Look at you, sleep-depriven mammal." Judy teased with a grin as she walked past him and placed herself on his couch, sitting in her usual posture - legs crossed beneath her. She rubbed her paws and stifled a giggle, which caused Nick to furrow his dark eyebrows as sat down beside her.

"Are you on drugs?" he asked dryly, raising an eyebrow. Judy laughed shortly and shook her head.

"No, not really, you dork. I am just so excited to tell you about everything I've found out." she chirped happily. Nick groaned and facepalmed.

"I am too tired for this shit."

"Hey! Get yourself together, Wilde." Judy warned playfully, mimicking Chief Bogo.

"Alright, alright, my deepest apology, Chief." Nick played along with his trademark grin. It made Judy smile widely to see him in a better shape.

So she started telling him everything she knows, leaving out some sensitive details that weren't meant for his ears. She focused on the facts and was thrilled to work on the case.

Nick listened closely, his ears twitching from time to time when Judy mentioned something important. He was impressed that she had found so many clues in such a short period of time.

"...and that makes four missing mammals. This case is bigger than I actually thought and it surprises me that only rabbits and foxes are involved." Judy finished her tale, flashing Nick a thoughtful smile. Nick rubbed his chin for a moment, before he glanced at her.

"I know Diesel. I didn't know he's related to Lizzy or Mandy, but I know him from my younger days on the streets. He was a hustler like me, but we never really got along. He was involved in some serious drug trafficking and sold all sorts of meat. That guy was high 24/7, some sadistic weirdo, if you ask me. He vanished a few years ago, never heard of him again. Rumors say that he left town after the police suspected him of murdering Silver's father." Nick pointed out with a shrug.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Judy asked a little puzzled.

"I didn't know this information was useful."

"Tomorrow I'll go talk to Silver again and please don't be sulky because you can't tag along." Judy said, smirking at her partner. Nick grunted and rolled his eyes.

"You make it sound like I'm some sort of drama queen."

"You are." Judy remarked dryly.

"Learned from the best." Nick replied with a wink and a smug grin. Judy chuckled and nodded.

"Glad I could teach you something useful." Judy said, her voice trailing off. Her smile faded afterwards and her expression turned thoughtful, almost mournful. Nick raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly, observing her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

"Can I ask you something personal? And please be honest." Judy said, glancing at Nick with seriousness in her eyes. Nick frowned in surprise, but nodded.

"Of course, Fluff."

"It seems like Lizzy has a thing for you. I just wanted to ask if you return her feelings. She's been through some bad stuff and doesn't deserve to be played. Mandy was curious about your feelings for her sister and well, I am too." Judy said, her expression mainly blank. Nick couldn't read any emotions, which bewildered him. He hesitated to answer and his ears drooped mildly. He took a deep breath and locked eyes with Judy.

"Well, I, uh, I do like her. She is not the one I've been looking for, if you catch my drift. She is nice and sweet, but seems a little too possessive and forward. I could imagine being friends with her, but nothing that goes beyond that, to be honest." he explained. Judy's eyes hit the floor, a sorrowful look on her face.

"Other than drunk fun, huh?"

Nick's eyes widened and he remembered that Judy didn't even know that he had nothing with Lizzy. His heartbeat increased and he tried to keep his breathing steady.

"Carrots, she was mocking me. I never had sex with her." he barked, watching Judy's ears twitch. She turned towards him and her eyes seemed to be gleaming.

"What? Why...but..."

"I simply forgot to tell you, it completely slipped my mind."

"Well, it's not like you _need_ to give an account to me... but that's interesting to know." she said, trying to suppress the relief in her voice.

"Yeah, nothing to worry about." he said, a sassy grin creeping up on his lips. Judy raised an eyebrow and snickered.

"I wasn't worried, Mr. I-am-so-handsome-no one-can-resist-me." she taunted playfully.

"Hey, that's a fitting pet name." he pointed out with a chuckle. Judy rolled her eyes and sticked her tongue out at him.

"Movie?" he asked out of the blue, which flustered Judy a bit. She tilted her head and surveyed him.

"Seriously?"

"Why not?"

"That's an accurate question." she joked with a short giggle, which made Nick smile widely.

"I choose." he remarked with a smirk.

"Oh yeah, what now?"

"I choose porn." he said dully, a dirty grin glued to his lips. Judy's eyes widened in shock. She wasn't a prude, but this went too far.

"Uhm-"

"I am kidding. Geez, Carrots."

Judy relaxed and stifled a laugh. "Right, of course."

"Unless-"

"Shush." Judy snorted with a playful scowl. Nick chuckled delightfully and stood up to open a drawer in his shelf where he stored his DVDs.

"Scarface?" he asked, turning to Judy, who rolled her eyes.

"Really now?"

"What? You thought I'm gonna watch Cinderella?"

"Ugh, fine." Judy gave in with a cute pout, which made Nick snicker.

"Unfortunately I don't have a TV in my bedroom, so we're crashing on the couch again." Nick remarked while putting the DVD into his player. Judy nodded with a smile.

"I don't mind."

The movie started and Nick hit the pause button. He disappeared into his bedroom. Judy watched his retreating figure and decided it would be a good oppurtunity to get comfortable, so she removed her jeans and slid unter the carrot-blanket, so Nick wouldn't have to stare at her bare legs.

Nick exited his bedroom again, wearing a plain black shirt and his boxers. He approached Judy and handed her his pawaiian shirt. She gave him a confused look.

"Your blouse looks uncomfortable and... I liked you wearing my shirt." Nick said timidly, offering her a smile. Judy was touched by this polite and kind gesture and nodded with a large grin.

"How thoughtful, thank you. Let me get changed real quick." she said and jumped off the couch to go to the bathroom. Nick laid down on the couch, positioning himself on the wall side. He sighed blissfully and waited for Judy's return. She entered the living room again, wearing his shirt, a proud grin on her lips. Nick snickered.

"Lookin' good, officer." he taunted with his typical smug grin. A short wave of shyness hit Judy, but she tried to hide it. She erased the light and positioned herself infront of Nick, her back pressed against his belly area. She covered their bodies with the blanket and snuggled into her pillow, facing the TV screen. Nick pressed play and rested his head on his own pillow. Judy drooped her ears to the lowest level, so they wouldn't disturb Nick's view.

"Why a carrot blanket?" Judy asked. She felt Nick's upper body vibrate as he chuckled.

"I like carrots." he stated in a low voice. "And I like Carrots."

Obviously Judy couldn't see his wide grin, since he didn't happen to have eyes in the back of her head, but she could picture it.

"Har-har."

"It's all about phrasing."

"Dork." Judy said dryly, stifling a giggle.

Judy actually managed to stay awake during the movie, but after a while she heard soft snores from behind her. Nick's snout was basically inches away from her ears and her hearing was incredible, so it wasn't hard to tell that he fell asleep. She sighed with a warm smile and turned the TV off with the remote control. She pressed her back a little more against Nick and nuzzled into her pillow, closing her eyes.

Her eyes fluttered open as Nick placed his arm loosely on her waistline a few moments later. She knew he didn't do it on purpose, since he was asleep, but it gave her a tingly feeling. Her smile grew bigger as she closed her eyes once more, enjoying his body heat.

Soon she drifted off to sleep as well, knowing that she had a busy day ahead of her.

* * *

**I just wanted to thank you guys for the kind reviews, I really love reading your thoughts and conjectures. **

**How do you guys feel about Lizzy & Mandy? **

**A little bit of fluff at the end, I couldn't resist. =3 **

**We will get to more WildeHopps eventually, please be patient. I don't like perfect love stories, since real life doesn't work that way either. I love drama and there's a lot more drama about to come~ **

**Who could've killed Silver's father? And who's behind those threats Judy's been getting? **

**We will find out eventually, so stay tuned~ **

**Please review to encourage me to write further chapters! xoxo **


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**Monday morning.**

Nick opened his eyes slowly and tried to suppress the urge to yawn. He blinked a few times until his view wasn't blurry anymore. He looked around the room and spotted his favorite bunny dead asleep infront of him. He grinned as he watched her chest heave up and down, but his grin faded as he noticed his arm on her waist. In a swift movement he pulled it back, stifling a faint gasp. He didn't remember he put his arm there and was afraid that Judy might have felt bothered by it, but was too polite to remove it.

His sudden movements startled Judy and she woke up. Her eyes shot open and she came to a sitting position, panting.

"Who's there?" she yelped, but immediately relaxed as she heard Nick chuckle. She glanced at him with a frown.

"Look at you, jumpy rabbit." Nick joked with a large grin.

"Wilde, you scared me to death. I was having a bad dream." she stated accusingly, crossing her arms.

"Not my fault, you chose to move in with me." Nick remarked with his usual smug grin as he removed the sheets and got up from the couch, brushing invisible dirt off his upper body. As Judy didn't respond, he glanced at her with furrowed brows.

"What?" he asked a little dumbfounded.

"I did not move in." she declared with an arched eyebrow, releasing a low snicker. "Yet."

"So spending time at work with me is not enough, huh?" Nick teased, flashing her a flirty grin. Judy rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Nope, I am never gettin' enough of you, Slick." she replied, her smile widening as she watched Nick chuckle delightfully.

"Sweet."

Nick made his way towards the fridge and got a bowl of cereal.

"Breakfast?" he asked, looking over his shoulder. Judy declined his offer politely and went to the bathroom, getting ready for her big day.

* * *

Judy arrived at the ZPD and dropped Nick off, waving him goodbye. Nick got out of the car and started walking up the stairs towards the entrace of the ZPD, but froze in his tracks as a pang of worry rushed through him. He turned around, seeing that Judy wasn't gone yet. He ran up the car once more and opened the passenger door, sticking his head in. His expression was tense and cautious. Judy tilted her head and arched an eyebrow.

"Carrots." Nick breathed, slowly relaxing. "Please take care."

Judy smiled widely, it was so cute to see Nick worried about her. She gave him a reassuring nod.

"I will."

"Call for backup and I'll be there in the split of a second, I promise." Nick stated, his eyes never leaving hers. Judy chuckled and nodded again.

"Okay, don't get emotional." she said jocularly, watching a grin appear on Nick's lips.

"Countin' on ya, officer Fluff."

"I'll be back soon, don't miss me too much." Judy teased with a sassy grin. Nick pressed a paw against his chest and squeezed his eyes shut, feigning hurt.

"Oh, but I can't help it. When the light of my life isn't with me, my existence is meaningless." he mimicked with a large grin, which made Judy giggle.

"Get inside, Shakespeare. The chief is gon' eat you otherwise."

"Oh, right. See you in a while, crocodile." Nick said, winking at his partner. With that he turned around and entered the halls of the ZPD. Judy hesitated to drive off, she had the massive urge to run after him and embrace him tightly, feeling his soft fur against her own. Though, now wasn't the time for dreaming, she had a mission to focus on.

She started the engine and drove towards the park. Her thoughts wouldn't leave her alone and Nick's scent still lingered in the car. She sighed deeply as she thought about Nick's words. It would be too much to ask for if one day - oh, one day - he would say those words to her and actually mean them. She wanted to be the light of his life, but it seemed like he wasn't ready for it. Then again, they had just overcome their fight and Judy didn't want to make things awkward between them again, so this time she wanted to wait until he would make a move.

* * *

She arrived at the park, her notepad already in her paws. She surveyed the area cautiously, but around this time of the day there was no one around, except the owner, Silver, himself.

"Here goes nothing." she breathed as she jumped out of her massive police car and walked towards the field. It was silent around her, not even the wind was blowing. It gave her the creeps and her legs were a little shaky. Though, this time, she was wearing her uniform and was prepared for anything.

"Hopps." a dark voice called out, causing Judy to flinch. She turned around and saw Silver approaching her with a stern facial expression. "Took you a while."

"Hello, Silver." she said politely, offering him a nervous grin. Even now, knowing his background story, he intimidated her. "What's shaking?"

"What made you return?" he asked, locking eyes with her. His face was serious, yet his blue eyes seemed soft.

"I am here to ask a few more questions."

"I told you everything I know, Hopps." he replied, narrowing his eyebrows. Judy gulped and nodded nervously.

"I know, Silver. But one question has been bothering me."

"Hmpf. Shoot."

"What's the name of the fox you befriended in your youth?"

Silver hesitated to answer, instead he glared at her, a low growl erupting from him. Judy drooped her ears and took a step backwards, he didn't look pleased at all.

"Why would you like to know?" he asked, his voice low and edgy, his glare turning into a dark scowl.

"Because I have a lead and.. well, if you told me the name, I could maybe find out who did those atrocious things to your father."

"Hah. So you and your fox can bathe in attention? So you can be called heroes? For solving a mystery that occured over ten years ago? No, darling. I make the rules here and my rules don't allow foxes to succeed at anything. My condolences you're partnered with a fox." he said bluntly, causing Judy to frown.

"This is not about pride, Silver. Stop being so judgemental. Nick and I are merely trying to help, trying to make you feel better. He isn't like Diesel!" Judy blurted out, covering her mouth afterwards. Silver tilted his head and his expression softened. He looked rather confused now.

"Diesel?"

"Nevermind." Judy stammered, trying to regain her composure.

"Who's Diesel?" Silver asked again, crossing his arms, his stare persistant and intimidating.

"A suspect." Judy breathed, closing her eyes in annoyance.

"Hm, good luck then." Silver said, turning on his heel to walk away. "But his name surely wasn't Diesel." he called out before he disappeared into one of the holes. Judy's eyes shot open and her heartbeat increased. His name wasn't Diesel? She thought she was so close to cracking this case - _but his name wasn't Diesel?_ It was a bummer. Judy growled and clenched her paws into fists.

"Wait!" she called out, but Silver wasn't in sight anymore. She rolled her eyes, debating if she should go after him, but it seemed too dangerous. Silver obviously wasn't in a good mood. Though, she had to hang on, he was the only witness she had, so she gathered all her courage and followed him.

Inside the warren she couldn't see him, but there were a whole lot of rooms. She crawled down the way too narrow tunnel and searched for him. Then she heard soft, sad music playing in one of the rooms. She twitched her ears to locate the sound and followed it. She stopped infront of a wooden door, which was odd, but she sighed and opened it. The room had a way higher roof and she was able to stand on her hind legs again. She looked around the room and spotted Silver standing infront of a wall, he obviously hadn't noticed that someone entered his room due to the music. Judy approached him slowly and watched him cautiously, not making a sound. He was staring at a picture on his wall, it showed a light grey rabbit in a black suit, saluting. Judy tilted her head and stepped a little closer.

"That's my father." Silver's low voice erupted, which startled Judy half to death. She thought he wasn't aware of her presence.

"I am sorry for snooping around." she said shyly, drooping her ears. Silver turned around and locked eyes with her.

"I am a rabbit, too. I have the same hearing skills, you know." he remarked bluntly. His posture and expression were much softer now.

"Yeah, that slipped my mind, sorry."

"Why did you follow me?" he asked, crossing his arms over his fluffy chest.

"I want to help you." she stated sincerely, flashing him a timid smile. Silver arched an eyebrow as he kept staring at her.

"You want publicity." he said accusingly, his expression darkening.

"No!" Judy barked, narrowing her brows. "I want to help a fellow bunny that's in need of help. I have no ulterior motives. You are acting tough on the outside, but I can see that you're hurting."

"You know nothing." he growled, turning away, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Please, Silver. If you let me in, we can finally find out who murdered your father. Don't you want your misery to end?" she asked soothingly, stepping closer.

"How is it going to end?" Silver snapped, glaring at her. Judy flinched mildly, but tried to stay calm. "Even if we found out who did this and even if you're able to put them behind bars - it _**won't**_ bring my father back and it _**won't**_ erase my horrible memory and it _**won't**_ undo these scars!" he panted, feeling his paws starting to tremble. The hurt he hid behind his bitterness was unimagenable.

"Shhh, please. It will give you the oppurtunity to make peace within your heart." she said softly, offering him a sweet smile. Silver let out a mournful sigh and his posture softened.

"Just leave." he pleaded, his voice edgy, yet there was softness.

"No, I want you to trust me."

"No fucking way." he hissed darkly, his expression hardening once more. "You are working with a filthy fox, there's no way I could ever trust you."

"Stop talking about my partner in such a manner!" Judy snapped, getting annoyed by his judgemental remarks. "He has feelings too and he has a dark past, just like you! He is trying to make this world a better place, otherwise he wouldn't have joined the ZPD. I can assure you that he's not trying to harm anyone or let alone eat anyone. You're being delusional. Just give it a try!"

Silver narrowed his brows as he bowed down slightly, being on the exact same eye level with Judy, his expression beyond furious.

"Did I stutter, Hopps?" he asked, his voice fierce and bitter. "I said no _fucking_ way."

"Fine! Keep dwelling on the past and sink even deeper into your depression. If you don't want help, I won't force myself on you." Judy replied bitterly, stomping out of the room. She slammed the door behind her and crawled out of the warren again.

Silver watched her retreating figure and flinched a little as she slammed the door. He drooped his ears and turned around to look at his father's picture again, gritting his teeth.

"I can't trust a fox, I just can't." he breathed, his eyes focused on the picture, as if he was talking to his father. "It wouldn't feel right to let a fox work on this case, not after what foxes did to you."

He exhaled sharply, closing his eyes for a moment. He opened them again and walked to the other side of the room, opening a dresser. There was a small mirror inside of it and he stared at his own reflection, clenching his paws. There were four long and deep scars across his face. He slammed the dresser shut and turned away in disgust.

"Not after what foxes did to _**me**_."

* * *

Judy arrived back at the ZPD and was furious. She stomped into her office, past Clawhauser and some other officers. She slammed the door behind her and positioned herself on her chair, letting out a long sigh. She cupped her head in paws and tried to keep her breathing steady. This had to be a joke, this case was even harder than she thought.

Her office door opened and she looked up with a dark frown, but softened as she spotted Nick entering.

"Carrots, what's wrong? Did he hurt you?" Nick asked concerned, kneeling down infront of her. He rested his paws on her knees and locked eyes with her. Judy shook her head no and sighed.

"No, he didn't and I don't think he would. He just won't talk." she admitted, gritting her teeth bitterly. Nick arched an eyebrow and surveyed her. She looked severely annoyed.

"Why?"

"Because I am partnered with you, with a fox." she breathed sorrowful, bowing her head in shame.

"Carrots, you told me he has accurate reasons to dislike foxes, so what's making you so upset?" he asked soothingly, squeezing one of her knees to make her look up, which she did.

"He does, but that's no reason to make nasty remarks about them."

"He is just bitter and perhaps sad. I wouldn't be too fond of wolves or whatever predators either if they harmed me or my family." Nick reassured her, hoping she'd gather new hope. "You're an excellent officer and if it helps, tell him that you were partnered with someone else. With Francine or Delgato. I don't mind."

"No, Nick. I am not concealing you." she replied sternly. "By the way, Diesel ain't our man."

"What do you mean?" Nick asked, rather surprised.

"Well, he didn't talk a lot, but he did confirm that the fox he befriended in his youth wasn't Diesel, which is a huge disappointment."

"Shit." Nick grunted, his eyes darting around the room for a moment as he tried to gather his thoughts to find a solution.

"You could say that."

"I have an idea." Nick pointed out, looking at her again, a smile forming on his lips. Judy tilted her head and furrowed her brows. "I will talk to him."

"Are you sick or somethin'? He will dig a grave for you right on the spot."

"No, Carrots. This is not only about some missing mammals, but also about an unsolved homicide. We have to try everything." he coaxed her with a reassuring smile. Judy sighed deeply as she placed her paws on his, which were still placed on her knees.

"I guess you're right."

"Keep your head up. We will find the responsible foxes. And we will find the missing mammals." he said in a determined tone, his eyes never leaving hers. "I will talk to him tonight."

* * *

**So, do you guys have any sympathy for Silver? 'Cause I surely do somehow. T_T **

**What do you think? Is it a good idea for Nick to visit Silver at night? I am not sure~ **

**Nick's such a gift, no? 3 **

**Tell me your opinions, share your thoughts with me! Leave a review. xoxo **


	14. Chapter 14

**Monday afternoon.**

A heavy storm came up. Judy was sitting on her office, nervously playing with one of her ears as she watched the rain fall against her window. She had her paper work done about an hour ago, but wasn't in the mood to face the Chief. Nick was working in his own office and they hadn't seen each other since the incident in the morning. Judy was chewing on her lower lip, trying to focus. Her thoughts were shattered around her mind, they made her heartbeat increase. She felt nervous and tense, though she had no idea why.

One part of her mind was focused on the case, trying to solve it. She started out with no clues at all, but managed to find a witness - who could also be a suspect - and was able to connect this case to another case that occured multiple years ago. She gathered precious information, but had no idea where to go with it. Every mammal that could know the slightest bit about this case was missing, except Silver, and he wasn't talking. It made her grit her teeth in annoyance.

Another part of her mind circled around tonight. Would it be safe to let Nick go alone? Around day time you'd probably catch Silver alone, but at night time it was obvious that other bucks would be around and from Silver's narration they weren't fond of foxes either, so what was Nick gonna do against 30 vicious bunnies? He was a fox, it would ruin his reputation to harm any kind of prey, even in self-defense. Judy sighed and leaned back against her chair, her eyes surveying the heavy storm outside. She used to be mad at him for following her around, because it felt like her privacy was invaded, but now she understood his concern. It seemed like the most reasonable thing to follow him as well, just in case he'd need a helping paw. She chewed her lower lip a little harder, hoping that Nick wouldn't be upset about it.

The final part of her mind was dancing around Nick himself. How he always managed to ease her, talk sense into her, he had such a soft and caring side. He was so close, yet so far away. Even when Nick was standing right beside her, she felt like she couldn't reach him. He was pacing back and forth with her and it made her crazy. One moment he was all flirty, suggestive, caring and compassionate - the next moment he was distant, cold and avoiding her. It made no sense to Judy. Besides, it was time they had to talk about their living conditions, Judy wasn't able to stay at Nick's place forever. Somehow she felt really blissful around him, but on the other side she slowly felt like a burden. She didn't want to exploit his kindness, so it was time to sleep at home again. She hadn't been getting any more threats anyway, so she should be safe. Although she knew that sleeping without Nick would be complicated for the upcoming nights.

She took a deep breath and decided to go for a small walk, since her paper work was already done and the storm had passed. She needed to clear her head. She exited her office and tip-toed down the large corridor of the ZPD, hoping to pass Clawhauser without having him notice her. She bit her lower lip, concentrating on not getting caught. Though, she flinched harshly when Clawhauser called out her name. She rolled her eyes with a deep sigh and turned around to face the chubby cheetah.

"I am not in the mood." she admitted, her facial expression rather bored, which caused the cheetah to arch an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

"Just a lot going on in my life at the moment, I guess."

"Need an ear to borrow?" Clawhauser asked, offering her a friendly smile.

"I'll decline, but thanks for the kind offer. I appreciate it." Judy replied, forcing herself to smile back in the friendliest way possible.

"Ok, if you need me, you know where to find me."

"Right, sure."

With that Judy turned around again and exited the huge doors of the ZPD, inhaling a deep breath of fresh air. The sky was cloudy and mainly grey, but it was still quite warm outside. She walked a few metres down the road, her paws jammed into her pockets, her eyes stubbornly facing the floor as she walked with droopy ears. She was so whimsical and not able to concentrate or focus lately. Nick stayed on her mind relentlessly and she was afraid that it would put their friendship in danger if she didn't get a hold of herself soon, besides Nick probably wasn't returning her feelings anyway. She sauntered down the road with puckered lips, trying to find a way to fill that void within her heart, but she couldn't think of anything - except distance. Perhaps if she distanced herself from Nick, he would finally realize how much she means to him. Possible, right? Judy released a mournful sigh and shook her head, she was pretty positive that Nick was just messing with her whenever he flirted, he was such a tease. Her situation was quite deplorable and all her small attempts on trying to attain his love were futile, so how low was she supposed to stoop to catch his attention? She finally looked up for the first time and her emerald orbs examined the road infront of her, the look on her face now determined and almost disgruntled. Of course it hurt like hell to be in love with your best friend and partner on the force and of course it hurt like hell being put into the friendzone - but it was still bearable, Judy had overcome worse scenarios. Her feelings for Nick have established quickly and now there was no more denying it, but she was positive she could keep them on the low, if she moved back into her own apartment and focused on work rather than focusing on him. There was one thing she now knew for sure, though - falling in love with best friend ain't a piece of cake, but there's literally _nothing_ you can do about it, except wait and hope that the distress won't last forever.

She stopped infront of a random building, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. One thing that afflicted her was also the failure of Diesel not being the criminal she thought he was. From everything she'd been told about him, it made him look like the culprit. He had disappeared shortly after the slaying and everyone that once knew him described him as an obnoxious, sadistic pervert. Though, if he had nothing to do with the incident at all, why would he leave town and never come back, even after the case turned cold?

Judy sighed and decided it'd be best to go back, she didn't want the Chief to start wondering where she went, she knew he'd drill her with questions and she wasn't in the mood to talk. Besides, leaving your working place during duty, it's not very exemplary.

Arriving at the ZPD she let out an annoyed sigh as she watched Chief Bogo standing infront of the huge doors, his muscular arms crossed tightly over his chest, his look rather disgruntled.

"Here we go." Judy snorted with an eyeroll as she approached him. He looked less than pleased that Judy left without telling anyone anything. Judy was guessing that Clawhauser revealed her, since he wasn't good at hiding secrets.

"Chief." Judy breathed, finally standing infront of him. Her ears were drooped mildly, her expression and posture rather submissive. Bogo cocked an eyebrow as he stared down at his smallest officer, exhaling loudly.

"You were taking a walk?" he asked, his voice rather concerned. Judy locked eyes with him and nodded, her ears drooping further.

"I guess."

"And why if I might ask, Hopps?" the Chief asked her, his tone dangerously edgy.

"Needed to gather my thoughts, I am having a bad day." Judy admitted, her eyes facing the floor.

"Need a shoulder to cry on?" Bogo asked, a small smile appearing on his dark lips, which surprised Judy. She looked at him, her ears perking up, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Pardon?"

"Do you need a shoulder to cry on, Hopps?"

"I guess we all need that at some point of our lives."

"Then go and cry on Wilde's shoulder, just don't leave the precinct without telling anyone." the Chief instructed, his false smile fading. Judy grunted with an eyeroll and nodded reluctantly.

"Of course, Sir."

"Hand in your paper work in and go home. Don't need depressed officers on duty. Figure out what's troubling you and come back when you're emotionally stable." Bogo said solemnly. After a moment of hesistance, he got a firm nod in return.

"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate it."

With a bitter grunt and a short nod, the Chief went back inside without another word.

Judy just watched his retreating figure for a moment, before she decided to visit Nick in his office and tell him that she got the rest of the day off.

* * *

She approached his office, careful not to startle him. She heard him typing on his keyboard, but also heard him talk. She peeked around the corner and surveyed him for a moment. He looked so damn fine wearing his dark blue uniform.

He was sitting infront of his PC, typing some sort of report. He had his phone clamped in between his ear and his shoulder, talking to someone. His expression looked rather unamused and it made Judy's ears twitch in curiosity.

"That sounds nice, but I am not interested at the moment, can we pick another date for that?" he asked, his tone rather earnest.

"No, no, that's not what I mean. You can come to my place and all, just not tonight. Can we agree that I'll text you when I'm free?"

Judy narrowed her dark eyebrows, her grasp around the door knob tightening. It made her lungs tighten and her gut twist to imagine who he could be talking to.

"Alright. Yeah. See you, Liz." Nick finally said, hanging up with a loud sigh. He threw his phone on the desk lazily and leaned back against his chair, folding his arms behind his head. His expression was rather pensive now.

Judy felt her heart drop to the ground, but she had to keep her shit together. She had come to a conclusion on her little walk, so this shouldn't be too much of a distraction. She took a deep breath and stepped into his office, closing the door behind her.

As Judy came into view, Nick was startled and started feeling really uncomfortable as he imagined that she could've been listening to his call. It was Lizzy, asking to come over to watch a movie together, she had something important to discuss. Nick was obligated to send her away, since he was having Judy over and he didn't want them to meet again and obviously Judy was his priority, so he declined Lizzy's request politely. He wasn't really planning on texting her or whatever.

Judy puckered her lips coyly, locking eyes with him. She had her paws behind her back, as if she were hiding something from him. Her ears were droopy and her expression almost bashful. She felt atrocious for eavesdropping his conversations, but on the other paw she felt relieved to know the truth. Nick tilted his head slightly as he examined his partner with his eyes. He arched an eyebrow and put on an uneasy smile.

"You seen a ghost or somethin'?" he asked.

"Nah, just came to tell you that I am not feeling all too well and the Chief was kind enough to grant me the rest of the day off. Just wanted to drop by to enlighten you." she said, her tone rather bored, which confused Nick.

"Not all too well? What happened? Did this rabbit say something disturbing earlier? Tell me the truth." Nick demanded, his eyebrows narrowing mildly. Judy sighed and crossed her arms.

"No, Slick. It's not that, there's just a lot of stuff crossing my mind lately and this case got me hooked. Still don't think it's a good idea to talk to Silver later, though."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Don't ignore my highly intelligent remark." Judy snorted with a sassy grin creeping up her lips. Nick snickered delightfully.

"What are you afraid of? He's a rabbit. They're harmless, all bark and no bite. Besides, who could be more strenuous to handle than you, young lady?" Nick said jocularly, wearing his usual priggish grin.

"Such a charmer, but seriously though, aren't you afraid he might lay a trap for you?"

"Fluff, there's an old proverb. 'The bear who sees the trap, cannot be caught.' Remember that before you shit your pants tonight, impatiently anticipating me to come home all beat up, bleeding nose, broken jaw-"

"Niiiick..." Judy breathed, frowning.

"Ok, ok, I'll take care, mom." Nick joked through a low chuckle, but his careless attitude faded as he watched Judy's tense body language.

"I will sleep at home tonight." she said timidly, turning her head away. Nick arched an eyebrow as he immediately came to strenched sitting position, surveying her closely, his jaw mildly dropped. "I think it's safe again. I wanted to thank you so much for letting me stay, but like you joked before, I don't want to move in and become a burden. You can happily invite Lizzy over tonight, I won't be there."

Nick's eyes widened as he frowned in confusion.

"You eavesdropped my conversation?"

"I am sorry." Judy apologized coyly, flashing him a submissive smile.

"What gave you the idea of being a burden? I enjoy having you around." Nick admitted with a loving smile, which was soon returned by his partner. His kind words immediately made her inwardly melt.

"That's sweet, Nick, but I don't find that responsible. I have very cautious neighbors in case something happens, so I think it's safe. Besides, I don't wanna accustom sleeping next to you, rabbits are creatures of habit and I don't wanna struggle sleeping on my own, you know?" she explained timidly.

"I see. Well, I cannot force you, but I want you to know that my door's always open for you and I always have a vacant space in my bed. You are everything but a burden, I can assure you that. What kind of bachelor wouldn't enjoy having an eager and ambitious female around? It's the best thing that can happen, actually." Nick teased with a wide grin, hoping he could allure Judy into reconsidering her choice. He didn't want to sleep on his own anymore either, old habits die hard. He was mildly confused that her choice left him so bewildered and almost mournful.

"I'm sure, but I am not your housemaid, fox butt." she remarked with a playful eyeroll.

"Oh, but I think that costume would suit you very well. A slender rabbit dressed as a housemaid - very intriguing, indeed. I guess I could live with that, would be hard to control my preying instincts, though." Nick replied, licking his lips as he gazed at her with dazed eyes. Judy arched an eyebrow and leaned heavily against his office door, she knew he was hustling, but damn - he got her all hot & bothered within seconds. She chewed her lower lip nervously, her ears pinking.

"Then you need to book a performer." she stammered with a coy smile. Nick kept staring at her for a moment, not moving an inch, before he chuckled loudly.

"Too easy to catch you off guard. Rabbits are so sensitive and so predictable, too cute." Nick remarked with a self-confident grin. Judy's posture softened slowly, though her facial expression was hardening. She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at her partner.

"You are so pig-headed."

"Try'na offend me, Fluff? I don't do racism." Nick said jocularly, checking out his claws in false boredom, a sneaky grin plastered to his lips.

"Ugh." Judy grunted, squeezing her eyes forcefully shut. She took a few deep breaths before opening them again, locking eyes with her slightly puzzled partner. He was still sitting in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees as he looked at her with questioning eyes. "Told you I'm having a bad day, otherwise I'd kill you with kindness, fox."

Nick blinked a few times, before he guffawed blissfully. "Dream on."

"Anyhow, I am going home, taking a bath, watching Cartoons, just relax and prepare for sleeping alone, heh. Can you please tell me the exact time you leave the precinct to go talk to Silver?" she asked, her big purple eyes shooting him a pleading look. Nick tilted his head slightly as he observed her. He couldn't help but to crack a smile at her adorable face.

"If it makes you feel better."

"It does." she replied, her lips curling into a sweet smile.

"Need a lift home?"

"No, I'll enjoy a good walk. Thank you. I am anticipating your call, fox." she cooed before she exited his office room.

Nick just sighed with a goofy grin, which faded insanely quickly as soon as Judy wasn't in sight anymore. He felt somewhat ... upset. She had grown onto him, he loved her presence, he loved her sweet scent that lingered in his bed room, he loved her croaking giggles that erupted through his rooms, he just loved it. It was too soon for him to say that he actually loved her, but he sure felt attracted, there was no negating. He wasn't sure how to figure his feelings out, he didn't want to elaborate them and perhaps he didn't even want to have these feelings at all. Foxes were very possessive animals, they mark, bite and knot their mates, something Judy would most likely not be used to. Besides, he wasn't quite the romantic type, he liked to keep things casual, so they never see that they get to you. He couldn't picture an actual relationship with the grey bunny, it made him feel woozy and tingly, but also very guilty and rotten. Though, knowing she wouldn't be sleeping at his place tonight left him a little peeved and piqued. He was worried about her safety and about her wellbeing, it didn't sound too convincing as she told him the reasons for 'moving out' again. Maybe she wanted to stay, but didn't mean to come off as annoying or clingy. He exhaled a long sigh before he focused back on his paper work.

* * *

As Judy arrived home, she opened the green door to her apartment, but hesitated to step in. She stood in the doorframe for a moment, letting the image of her messy little room sink in. She sighed deeply and finally entered it, closing the door behind her. It didn't feel like 'home', it didn't even leave any kind of bliss arriving here. After staying at Nick's place for so long without having the chance to get changed whenever she felt like it, it was now time for a long bath. She entered her small bathroom and got rid of her clothes, waiting for the tiny bath tub to fill with water. It was very slowly getting dark outside, so Judy felt a pang of pressure as she jumped into the tub, shuddering as the hot water saturated her fur. She wanted to follow Nick to the rabbit ground, it wasn't safe for him to go there all alone at night, not after Judy got to know Silver a little better. He surely had a soft side, but he had an even bigger dogged side. Judy sighed as she leaned back, purging her fur with a violet sponge. She just hoped Nick would call on time, he had his head in the clouds sometimes.

As Judy was done bathing, she got out of the bath tub and grabbed a towel, twining it around her shoulders tightly, as she started freezing. Her lower lip was wobbling as she tried to dry her fur with some towels until it was damp. Afterwards she brushed her teeth and raked her fur with a comb. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for a moment, until a satisfied grin crept up her lips. She felt presentable and hopped into her main room again, looking for something to wear tonight. Since she wasn't on duty it was against the law to wear her uniform, but she needed something with pockets to be able to carry at least her tranquilizer gun with her. She decided to wear some anthrazit jeans with a black top and a thin anthrazit cardigan, since the night was a little chilly. She placed herself on her small bed and turned her TV on, desperately trying to get the time to pass. She switched through the different channels, not really looking for something specific to watch. She stopped at a documentary about foxes and their natural behavior. Her eyes widened slightly as she turned the volume up.

The film showed a male fox baring his teeth to another male fox, a vixen standing behind the first male fox. Judy tilted her head, did that mean foxes were possessive or even jealous? Before she could elaborate that thought, the two male foxes started fighting. The snarls, growls and barks that they released sounded malicious. Judy winced as she spotted blood flowing and decided to turn her TV off again. She was a little afraid that documentaries like that, which basically just documented their primitive ways, could change her view on Nick. For her, he wasn't a fox. He was Nick, an individual with sharp teeth and trenchant claws, but also a super attractive grin and a flawless face, a heart made of gold and a personality sweet as sugar. She hated that films like that were shown on local TV, just to make mammals hate and fear foxes even more. It was irresponsible and wrong. Her eyebrows narrowed and her nose started twitching vigorously as she thought about it, but her train of thoughts got interrupted as her phone buzzed. She jumped up to check it. She released a relieved sigh as she saw that it was Nick.

**'Signing out. On my way to Silvio. Call you when I'm done.'**

Judy rolled her eyes at his unenthusiastic text. Besides, it was Silver, not Silvio. Judy facepalmed for a moment, before she rushed out of her apartment. Since bunnies were incredibly fast it shouldn't be a problem to arrive there soon, but she wasn't as fast as a police car. She gathered all her energy and sped off.

* * *

Nick arrived at the park and stopped the engine, surveying his surroundings carefully. No one could be seen at the park, it was entirely dark. Nick gulped as he got out of the car, tip-toeing his way towards the large field. He was on alert, his ears twitching from side to side. He was holding a flashlight in his paws, but didn't dare to turn it on, since he didn't mean to scare the bunnies. He wasn't aware that it was this dark here, though.

When he finally heard a noise, the fur on his neck stood on end. In a reflex he turned his flashlight on and was horrified to see at least 15 bucks standing infront of him, all wearing a dark scowl.

"Get him." one of the bucks called out and before Nick could even yelp, he was thrown on the ground and his paws got cuffed with his very own handcuffs he was carrying around. He growled viciously as he struggled to get free, Judy did warn him, but he hadn't listened. Not even in his wildest dreams he could've imagined bunnies to be this pernicious and hostile. His heart was beating at a rapid rate and he had difficulties to control his breathing.

"You guys! I am not looking for any trouble, just let me talk to Silver." Nick pleaded in an edgy tone, but his requests got drowned in sardonic laughter.

"So you can deface the rest of his body?"

"What? I did not deface or scar him. I'm an officer."

"Nice try. You foxes think you're so sly and crafty, no? Well, let me tell you something." one of the bunnies cooed as he glared directly at Nick, making the fox gulp. "We knew you'd come back one day and we were prepared."

"Come back? No, no, no, this is a misunderstanding!"

"Crucify him!" the bunny called out and the other rabbits started singing some really dark song.

"Crucify? I am not Jesus! You guys are bat shit crazy!" Nick yelped frantically, trying to break free. Instead, they tied down his legs and fastened a string around his snout. They picked him up and started carrying him towards the end of the field, cheering and celebrating.

Of course Nick was aware that this wouldn't be easy, but he surely didn't assume they'd actually try to kill him.

If only he had listened to Judy.

* * *

**Whoopsie ... sometimes things don't go as planned. T_T**

**Reviews? xoxo Next chapter will be up as soon as possible and it'll be stupendous! c:**


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

* * *

**Monday night.**

It was hard for Judy to actually arrive at the scene on time. She had to take a few small breaks on her way to catch her breath. When she finally got there, she found an empty field, even though she spotted Nick's police car standing on the sidewalk, which made her heartbreat increase immediately. She suppressed her urge to gasp, as she was already picturing that something horrific could've happened to the fox. She sped down the path towards the field, holding the flashlight of her phone up to see anything. However, the field was empty. No one could be seen. She was breathing heavily and frantically started calling out Nick's name, but got no response. She felt her knees getting weak as her legs became shaky, due to her wild imagination. She knew what Silver was capable of, if only she had arrived earlier.

Her ears twitched vigorously as she heard muffled groans coming from the end of the field. Her flashlight wouldn't light all the way, but she had to look. She swallowed harshly, jammed one of her paws into her pocket to get a better grasp of her tranquilizer gun, and made her way towards the end of the large field. The closer she came, the more she noticed dim lights illuminating from behind an apparently empty building, looking like some kind of abandoned grange or farm. When she stepped even closer, she saw that the lights were actually INSIDE of the farm. She had never noticed this building before, so she was even more puzzled. She jogged around the building, trying to find a way in, but it seemed like all doors were locked. She heard some kind of dark chant erupting from inside the building, but she couldn't see anyone, since this building had _no freaking_ windows, which creeped her out. The only light sources were those small peepholes made of glass on each door. Her heartbeat increased to an insane rate and she was on alert. Nick just had to be inside this building. Gathering her composure, she spotted a dark green garage door that seemed to be open. She slipped inside and now stood in the garage of the abandoned and obviously shabby and rotten house. She tried to catch her breath, it seemed like her head was spinning from panic. With quivering paws she opened the door that led upstairs into the living room, which seemed more like a hall than a room, to be blunt. It was just a large empty room with some dimmed and flickering lights illuminating it.

As Judy opened the door, she peeked around the corner, trying not to make a sound. But when her eyes spotted Nick on the ground, his paws cuffed, his legs tied down and a thick string around his snout, moving around like a fish that was suffocating, her eyes widened immensely and she just started yelling.

Her high-pitched yell was deafening and caught the attention of the bucks. They glared at her and immediately jumped on her before she could even reach for her tranquilizer gun.

"Let him go!" she snapped viciously, releasing a harsh snarl. The bucks just chuckled as they tied her down as well and threw her on the floor beside Nick as if she was some sort of trash. As she kept threatening them with the law, they decided to tape her mouth. She thought she knew a lot about Silver ...

... but obviously she had no idea of what he was _actually_ capable of.

* * *

Time stood still.

Nick was laying on this cold stone floor on his belly, still trying to find a way to break free. The rabbits around him were cheering and actually singing and it just took Nick back to the most terrifying memories of his childhood. He squeezed his eyes shut, he didn't want to witness whatever these sadistic little shits were going to do to him. His ears were drooped and he had his claws clenched into very tight fists, though he couldn't move his wrists. One of the bucks kicked him in his sides every now and then, but Nick didn't even whimper - there was too much adrenaline rushing through his blood to even feel any kind of pain, he was literally paralyzed. He felt so insanely sorry for Judy, he knew it would be hard for her to see him like this and it would be unbearable for her to confirm that her own species killed her best friend. Nick told himself to keep his breathing steady, but with every laugh and every nasty joke these bucks kept making, he lost his composure again. Though, they kept mentioning that they knew him and that he had harmed them in the past - which was a riddle for Nick, he couldn't follow them at all. Never had he ever seen one of these rabbits before in his entire life, so what was riding them to behave so crazy and malicious?

His eyes shot open and he started moving around like a lunatic, when he heard a frantic shout echoing through the hall. It was so loud that he thought the walls were going to cave in. His green eyes immediately locked with horrified purple eyes, though they didn't have a lot of time to stare at each other as the bucks took Judy down pretty quickly. It was bloodcurdling to watch for Nick and his eyes filled with horror and disgust. He bared his teeth vigorously, loud and vicious growls erupting from his mouth. He felt the pressure of the string against his snout, it was cutting his skin, but he didn't give two fucks. As they threw Judy on the ground beside him, he completely lost his mind and a few tears of anger ran down his cheeks. He desperately tried to get up and free himself, but they kept kicking his rips to send him back to the ground. Every time he fell, he heard Judy yelp and whimper, her gaze pleading him to stay still. They had taped her mouth and it made Nick's whole fur stand on end.

"_I'll put all of you sick motherfuckers behind bars._" Nick sneered viciously, though the sound of his voice was a little muffled due to the tightly fastened string around his snout. Once again his words were drowned in a pool of hideous laughter.

"We don't know why you'd want to take this bunny down with you, but if she chooses a fox's side, then we'll gladly send her _to hell._" one of the bucks taunted mischievously, circling around the two mammals as if they were fossils at a museum, laying there to be exposed to people.

"Especially a fox who's a fucking assassin." another rabbit called out.

"He ripped Silver's father to pieces and scarred Silv forever, yet he decides it would be a good idea to show his face here again, how pathetic. Did you really think Silver was going to invite you in and have a cup of tea with you?"

"I don't understand why they won't release a law that says that _ALL_ foxes have to be muzzled."

"I don't understand why they don't just put foxes to sleep. _Euthanize them_, they're useless."

All those remarks left Nick shook, he wasn't able to move a muscle. His rip cage was actually hurting really bad and he watched how Judy's fur became completely damp, as she was releasing a waterfall of tears. She stared at him with hopeful eyes, but there was nothing that could be done at this very moment. Nick sighed and closed his eyes, not being able to look at Judy anymore. He wanted to cover his ears as well, not being able to stand their remarks about foxes any longer. He gritted his teeth tightly, trying to think of something.

But right now the situation seemed hopeless.

* * *

Some minutes had passed, Judy & Nick were still tied up on the cold floor of the abandoned building, waiting for their destiny to come and get them. It all started out with about 15 bucks, now the number doubled itself as there were around 30 bucks now. Hearing Judy's heavy breathing was almost unbearable for Nick. He was shivering from anger, his fur still standing on end. He promised Judy to keep her safe, he promised her that no one could ever harm her as long as he was around and now this mess happened, he wasn't able to protect her, he wasn't able to calm her down, he wasn't able to do anything. This thing wasn't about him being assaulted by prey, this was mainly about not being able to keep Judy safe from harm. Why the hell did she follow him in the first place? She was the one that repeatedly pointed out how dangerous it was around here at night, so why would she do it?

The two helpless mammals kept staring at each other, Nick's expression rather disgruntled and angry, while Judy looked fearful. She was just praying that they would do it quickly and painlessly. She queezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath.

X X X

"What is happening here?" a frantic voice chimed in, catching Judy's and Nick's attention immediately. Silver had entered the hall and he looked beyond bewildered, his eyes opened widely. While Judy started crying because she was glad to see him and shot him a hopeful look, Nick stared up at the ceiling and thought this was the end.

"These are intruders, Master." one of the bucks explained timidly.

"Besides, it's him! He defaced you and came back to talk to you. He had this bunny with him and well, she chose his side, so we have to get rid of her, too." another buck remarked.

Silver blinked a few times, examining the two tied up mammals on the floor by approaching them slowly, his arms folded behind his back, his expression rather dark, which worried Judy.

"Intruders?" he asked in a low voice and the bucks around him started nodding. "That's Hopps! She's an _officer_, you total dumb asses. She will arrest your sorry butts for this. It's false imprisonment! You useless God damned fucking cunts." Silver ranted, his expression hardening even more as he started shouting: "And that's not the fucking fox you're looking for, this fox is wearing an uniform, you pathetic fucking retards! Unbind them right now before I'll slaughter each of you _motherfuckers_ with my teeth_._"

The bucks immediately did as they were told and released Nick & Judy within seconds. Some of them disappeared shortly afterwards, while others stayed with their heads bowing down in shame.

Nick stood up quickly as soon as he was freed and reached out for Judy to help her stand up as well, since she was shaking so bad that she struggled to get up. He placed his arm tightly around her shoulder to support her while standing. She leaned into Nick's side, trying to suppress her frantic sobs. Silver surveyed the two mammals, who seemed to have a close bond. He felt devastated to see Judy in such a state, even though he knew her only very shortly. He drooped his ears mildly as he stepped infront of the two. He shot Nick an apologetic and compassionate look, which asthonished the fox, before Silver turned to Judy.

"Hopps, my deepest apologies. I beg your forgiveness, whatever happened here, it happened without my knowledge. I hope we can overlook this dreadful experience and head into the warren, I just made some tea, I hope that'll calm your nerves." Silver offered politely, his ears still drooped in shame. Judy locked eyes with the intimidating rabbit, frowning darkly.

"This is your fault." she snapped. Silver winced and took a step backwards, perking his ears up again, arching an eyebrow. "If you wouldn't have brainwashed these idiots with your contempt against foxes, this would have been preventable!"

Nick's grip around her shoulder tightened even more as he looked down at the fierce bunny, who was still quivering.

"Carrots..." he whispered soothingly.

"Carrots my ass! These retards tried to slay both of us, Nick! And it's all because Silver brainwashes them." she muttered bitterly, not even glancing at the fox. He gulped and turned his attention back to Silver, who surveyed Judy closely. The bucks still surrounding them started to look tense, as if they were preparing for another attack.

"You know that my disdain is not unfounded, Hopps. Though, I could never incite such an atrocious thing to happen. I know what it feels like to be defenseless. I don't want others to feel the same way I did." Silver declared, his posture almost submissive, before his eyes darted to Nick. "I apologize for the way my fellow rabbits acted. I think they mistook you for someone else, since you look incredibly similar to the fox that ruined my life. Doesn't mean that you're anything like him, that's why I feel the need to apologize to you as well. Fox or not, no one deserves such a treatment."

Silver clenched his paws into fists while talking to Nick. He didn't do it on purpose, but it was insanely hard for him to talk to a fox in a friendly manner. He despised them and he didn't like Nick more than any other fox, he just wanted Judy to calm down. On one paw he wanted to chase Nick off of his ground as quick as possible, but on the other paw he felt a little sorry for him, so he forcefully cracked a false smile to make it look more convincing.

Nick studied Silver's face for a moment, cocking an eyebrow. This guy was a good hustler with nice acting skills, but Nick didn't fall for them. He didn't know Silver's background story, he just knew foxes were involved in the slaying of Silver's father. That was reason enough to hate an entire species, so Nick decided to play along. They were both doing this for Judy's sake after all.

"Forgiven." Nick said with a nod, returning the fake smile Silver was giving him.

"Are you for real? Just look at those bruises on your snout!" Judy barked, glancing at Nick with a frown.

"Just relax, Carrots." Nick replied cooly, giving her one of his smug grins.

"Maybe you should take her home. Come back tomorrow under normal circumstances and we'll have a talk together, how about that?" Silver suggested politely, instantly hating himself for offering such a stupid thing, since he didn't want to have Nick around at all, but he'd do anything to impress Judy. Being on the good side with one of the most famous cops of Zootopia was a beneficial thing after all.

Nick nodded, still wearing his priggish grin, which pissed Silver off, but he hid it behind his mask.

"Oh yes, we are going to have a talk, Sir." Judy pointed out, glaring at Silver with a nose twitching from anger.

"See you tomorrow, buddy. Thanks for saving us." Nick remarked sassily, his grin widening. Silver simply nodded in return, his expression completely blank.

Nick finally released Judy from his grip and left the scene, followed by Judy, who shot Silver one final scowl. As they disappeared, Silver turned his attention to the bucks that were still standing in the hall. He glanced at each of them, before clearing his throat loudly.

"All of you, get into the warren - _right now_." Silver demanded in an edgy tone. They all immediately followed his order and left the abandoned building in a rush, leaving Silver behind. He watched their retreating figures and when they weren't in sight anymore, his posture softened massively. He drooped his ears and let his shoulders hang loosely, his eyes facing the ground beneath him. He released a long and distressed sigh, before he looked up at the ceiling, feeling his heart beating rapidly. He took a few relaxing breaths.

"Keeping my composure around that fox was so _freaking_ difficult. I didn't fail, though. What have I even suggested? They'll roast me tomorrow and there's no way I can get roasted by a fox, not again. I'll have to think of something. I have to prevent that from happening... I can't allow myself to get arrested by a _fucking fox_, no way I'm losing all my dignity. There's gotta be a way to avert this... and I'll find it." he whispered as if speaking to someone else, when in reality he was talking to himself. He wasn't sure whether Nick's presence made him so nervous because he simply hated foxes - or if he was actually afraid of him.

One thing was for sure - he'd do anything to prevent having a fox enter his personal space. He kept too many private things there, besides he wouldn't be able to handle being in the same room with a fox, not being able to escape on time. Call it paranoia, but he just couldn't, not after what happened to him. He was still pretty traumatized by that incident multiple years ago. So, in a conclusion, he would do anything to not have Nick in his room tomorrow.

And he'd use this night to find a solution for this.

* * *

**OH, big surprise! Did you guys expect Silver to save them? **

**Do you understand his troubles? And what is he gonna do? **

**Ever made a suggestion and regretted it afterwards? xD It's so accurate. **

**Tell me what you guys think of this chapter, the next one will be up pretty soon. **

**Reviews? Love to read your thoughts! xoxo **


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

* * *

Silver dragged his feet across the floor with his fists jammed into his pockets as he walked back towards the warren. He enjoyed the cold breeze around his face, it helped him to think clearer. He knew some of his fellow bucks would get arrested tomorrow, but he was willing to do what it takes to avert Nick arresting them infront of his blue eyes. He crawled into the warren and vanished into his room with a loud door slam. He positioned himself on his chair, taking a few deep breaths. As he heard something creak mildly, he turned his attention to his door, which seemed to be opening slowly. It revealed another buck, a dark grey one, much smaller than Silver.

"What do you need, Danny?" Silver asked annoyed, staring at the bunny. Danny gulped as he stepped closer, his paws behind his back, his ears drooped.

"I-I am sorry you h-had to witness that, S-Sir." he started stammering timidly.

"Oh well, you should be." Silver hissed, standing up, slamming his fists on the wooden table infront of him. "You nearly ended two innocent lives, do you even know what that means?"

"Sir, we thought we're doing you a favor by minimizing the amount of foxes in Zootopia."

"Are you fucking kidding me? When have I ever said that I wish death upon all foxes?" Silver asked in an edgy tone, one eyebrow raised at his fellow rabbit.

"Well, you told us about your disdain against foxes multiple times and you described what that certain fox you once befriended looked like, so we thought it was him and decided we'd do you a favor by extinguishing him." Danny explained with shaky paws.

"Remember one thing before you ever think such nonsense again, kid - no matter how much I dislike foxes, it doesn't give you permission to slay one _on my ground_. Is that clear? And if I ever catch one of you guys harassing officer Hopps again, you'll wish you've never been born. Got it?" Silver snarled harshly, frowning.

Danny gulped and took a step backwards, nodding nervously. "Noted."

"Now get the fuck out of my sight, I am tired of your bullshit." Silver grumled, turning away.

"But Sir, we should consider taking this fox down before he arrests us. It is the only choice we have." Danny remarked. Silver slowly turned his head back towards the rabbit, glaring at him.

"If anyone is going to take anyone down, it'll be me, got it? You lay a paw on that fox and I'll make sure no one's going to find your corpse." he warned maliciously.

"So you're contemplating on working with him?" Danny asked, obviously a little surprised.

"Keep your freaking nose out of my fucking business, Danny! I know what I'm doing."

"I guess you don't want to harm him because you know he's officer Hopps' best friend and you don't want to hurt her by taking him from her, am I correct?"

Silver hesitated for a moment, staring at Danny.

"I don't give two shits about officer Hopps, kid. I just don't want to get on the bad side with the police. As far as I know she takes her job serious, so I'll have to make sure not to mess with her, you know I am just one big load of shit!" Silver hissed darkly, closing his eyes forcefully. Danny arched an eyebrow and perked his ears up slightly.

"Sir, don't drown in self pity. It doesn't look good on you. I am no expert, but I think you like officer Hopps a little more than you actually should. You despise foxes so damn much, if it weren't for her, you wouldn't have saved that fox's ass. Admit it."

"You are really testing my patience now, pal." Silver snapped, glancing at the bunny with a dark frown. "I don't like her. I am not even capable of liking anyone, you piece of garbage."

"Insulting me is not going to cover the fact that you fell in love with an officer, Sir." Danny pointed out, his posture quite self-confident. Silver exhaled sharply.

"Leave." Silver breathed, drooping his ears.

"I knew I got yo-"

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" Silver shouted aggressively, making Danny flinch painfully.

"If you want her, you have to get rid of the fox. As simple as that." Danny remarked, desperately trying to get through to Silver. He knew the white rabbit was short-tempered, but he wasn't violent.

"I do not want her and I am not going to harm this fox, you got it? He has nothing to do with my misery, he is in fact just trying to live a decent life. I certainly do not care about getting romantically involved with an officer, I don't do that shit. She is cute, yes, but nothing that would go beyond that. I have other motives, believe me." Silver stated and it actually sounded pretty convincing.

"Whatever you say, Boss. Just mark my words."

"Get out of my sight now, I need some time for myself." Silver pleaded, releasing a long sigh.

"Hopefully not to think about her."

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THAT SCUM! LEAVE ME ALONE _GOD DAMN IT_!" Silver snapped viciously. Danny gave him a knowing nod before he left his room.

Silver fell back onto his chair, breathing heavily. He had never come across such things as feelings and he surely didn't feel anything for Judy, other than deep respect. She followed her dreams and had made some great achievements in life - which did not exactly include becoming friends with a fox - but however, she did well. She was one of the first mammals ever that actually cared about Silver's background and respected his demands. Though, today he was highly disappointed at her reaction. He had nothing to do with whatever his fellow bucks tried to do to harm them, he was in his room listening to some depressing music when he heard shouting. He knew the other rabbits would've killed both of them, so she could've at least shown some small appreciation or gratitude.

Silver gritted his teeth, he still hadn't found a solution for avoiding Nick tomorrow. It seemed like he actually had to talk to get his fellow bunnies out of the misery. He slammed his head on the table infront of him, feeling caged. He was the head of his pack, so he had to face the penalty in order to save them.

* * *

Nick got into his car, followed by Judy. She positioned herself in the passenger seat, still trying to catch her breathing. She was fuming. Nick was way calmer about the situation, at least he pretended to be, and started the engine.

"Can you believe this? I am shaken. I am so sorry something like this had to happen, Nick. I didn't know these bunnies were so vicious and hostile. Please don't think that all bunnies are that way-"

"Shhh, Fluff. Don't think too much. Just lean against your seat and continue being pretty." Nick shushed her soothingly, flashing her a warm smile before he focused back on the road. Judy's ears pinked slightly at his compliment, but she was too sunken in thoughts to let it get to her.

"I can't believe you forgave him just like that!" Judy pointed out, still sounding pent-up.

"Carrots, we're officers, we can't dwell on assaults like that. Besides, there wasn't a lot of damage done, so it's fine."

"A lot of psychical damage, actually." Judy breathed, her eyes darting towards her feet. She wasn't sure how long it would take to erase those bloodcurdling events off her mind.

"I will help you to get over it, Fluff." Nick reassured with a loving smile. Judy glanced at him and nodded.

"But you have to get over it, too."

"I am mentally stable, Carrots. I can handle it."

"You're lying." Judy accused him with a frown. Nick glanced at her and cocked an eyebrow.

"You wound me."

"Stop making fun of this, we nearly died a few minutes ago. I know it must have affected you as well. There's no need to act like Toni Montana around me, Nick." Judy stated in a serious tone, her expression a little concerned. Nick exhaled sharply and concentrated on the road, hesitating to answer.

"I guess sleeping at your own place should be a struggle after tonight's events, so..." his voice trailed off, stealing an innocent glance from the grey bunny, who smiled knowingly.

"Yeah, please."

"My place it is, then." he remarked, a victorious smile creeping up on his lips. Even after everything that had happened tonight, it still had its perks - Judy was gonna stay with him.

* * *

After they reached his apartment Nick immediately vanished into the bathroom. Judy looked around and felt complete, this felt way more like 'home' than her own apartment did, which was insane and possibly wrong. She got out of her cardigan and sneaked into Nick's bed room, opening his dresser to find a nice, long shirt to wear, something that'd cover her underpants too. She found a plain black one and changed into it. It nearly reached her knees, so she felt satisfied and able to take her jeans off.

She jumped onto his bed and hugged the pillows, not able to control the sudden bliss within her heart. Everything was better as long as he was around. Though, her happiness faded quickly when tonight's events flooded her mind violently. She squeezed her eyes shut and hid her face in her pillow. It was so upsetting that Nick got assaulted by prey - _again_! As if his childhood experience wasn't enough ... he was acting tough, but deep down she was sure that he was hurting. Just those nasty remarks about euthanizing foxes must've hurt pretty bad. Then she remembered that they kicked his ribs multiple times and that's when her eyes shot open.

She ran to the bathroom and opened the door in a rush, startling Nick. He winced and stared at her with a shocked expression. He was shirtless and ... actually cooling his ribs with a coolpack. She knew it. She knew he was hurting. Not only emotionally, physically too. She covered her mouth with her tiny paws as her eyes started to tear up immediately.

"Oh my God, Nick. I am so sorry." she whispered, trying to suppress her sobs.

Nick felt terrible for treating his wounds, he didn't want Judy to know anything about it, but rabbits have very strong hind legs and their kicks actually hurt quite bad. He gave her a mournful expression and flashed her a sad smile.

"Fluff, please." he breathed, tossing the coolpack aside. He approached her and placed his paws on her shoulders, gazing into her wet eyes. Seing her like this saddened him. "It's fine, I didn't want you to worry. I am already feeling much better. Please don't cry, you know I'm one big bad fox, right? I think we've already established that. Now please don't be upset, I'll be fine." he said soothingly, forcing a smile to make it look more convincing.

As a single tear ran down her cheek, Nick removed one paw from her shoulder and used his thumb to wipe her tear away. It was silent around the two mammals for a moment, before Judy sighed loudly.

"I just feel that all the blame's on me. I should've talked you out of talking to him instead of encouraging you!"

"Uh, you did not encourage me, you even warned me. It was my decision, I just feel miserable that I wasn't able to protect you." Nick admitted, his eyes facing the floor.

"You were tied-up, Nick! Not even a lion would've able to protect me! It's my fault, I couldn't keep my shit together and shouted, but only because I was so worried! I am sorry."

"If you say 'sorry' once more, I'm gonna tickle you to death, Hopps." Nick warned playfully, his eyes meeting hers again. Judy's expression straightened and her lips turned into a small smile.

"What did I do to deserve you?" she whispered lovingly, though those words just slipped her mouth and she wished she could've slapped herself to thinking out loud. Nick removed his other paw from her shoulder and crossed his arms, arching an eyebrow, before a sassy grin appeared on his lips.

"You followed me around town and forced me into working with you by extorting me, so ... that's what you did." Nick teased, his grin widening. Judy chuckled with an eyeroll.

"Gosh, you're so romantic." she snorted sarcastically, before she turned around and went into the bed room. Nick followed her and crawled into his bed. He wasn't wearing anything but black boxers, but he was oblivious to it, he simply forgot to change. Judy hopped into his bed as well, getting comfortable under the sheets. She turned towards him, examining his face. He was covered under the sheets as well, so she didn't even notice that he was still shirtless and for now, it didn't matter. He turned towards her as well, their faces not far away from another.

"Guess I'll have to move in after all." Judy breathed with a short snicker. Nick grinned and nodded.

"Seems like it. Faith doesn't want us to sleep in separate beds."

Judy needed a moment to let his words sink in. He believed in faith and he believed that his faith included her? She gulped to suppress a goofy grin.

"Yeah, seems like you can't get rid of me."

"I don't want to." Nick said, his tone very earnest, his green eyes drowning in her purple ones. For once he wasn't teasing or wearing his sly grin, he was sincere. Judy nearly exploded from all the butterflies as he gazed at her so lovingly. She couldn't suppress the urge to smile, so she did and Nick could tell it was a happy smile, a blissful one.

"I hope you haven't changed your view on bunnies." Judy said, changing the topic to get rid of her massive blush.

"Even if I had, it wouldn't change my view on you, so please stop worrying. All that matters is that we're still here, we made it." he said, flashing her a reassuring smile, which Judy returned.

"Thank you for being my friend. I don't know what I'd do without you." Judy whispered, her eyes never leaving his.

"It's my pleasure, Carrots. It's my deepest pleasure." he replied with a warm smile.

After that, Judy closed her eyes peacefully and sighed. Nick watched her a second, not able to hide his goofy grin while doing so. He then erased all the lights, except a few candles, and turned on his back, staring at the ceiling for a moment. The dim light of the candles relaxed all his muscles and soon he closed his eyes too, trying to forget about the disappointment of not being able to keep Judy safe from harm.

* * *

**3.30am, same night**

Nick's eyes shot open as he heard noises. One of three candles was still burning, so he had very limited light, but due to his incredible night view it didn't bother him. He looked to his side, Judy was facing him with her back. She was flinching and whimpering like crazy, it seemed like she was having a hell of a unpleasant dream. He came to a sitting position. Nick just watched her for a moment, not sure what to do, because he didn't want to wake her, but as her movements increased and her whimpers got louder, he gathered his courage and started caressing her ears softly.

"Carrots, please wake up. It's fine." he whispered soothingly into her ears. As her ears started twitching and the whimpers stopped, he knew she was awake. Her eyes fluttered open and she rolled onto her back, glancing at Nick with a confused expression.

"What happened? Where am I?" she asked, her voice trembling as she sat up. Nick continued to caress the top of her head to calm her down, gazing at her with a warm smile.

"You're at my apartment, you're with me. It's fine, it was just a bad dream. You're safe." he reassured her, his voice just above a whisper.

His heart clenched as his attempts to calm her down failed and she started sobbing, covering her eyes with her tiny paws.

"Oh, Nick. I had such a horrible dream." she whispered between her sobs. Nick removed his paw and stared at her, a little dumbfounded. He wasn't entirely sure how to handle the situation.

"Uhm, Carrots .. it's okay, we're good." he stammered, frowning in confusion, his paws raised as he didn't know where to place them.

"But you died!" Judy yelped, her sobs becoming louder as she stared at him with tears escaping her eyes.

"I am very much alive, thank you." Nick remarked sarcastically, hoping to cheer her up, but it didn't work. He drooped his ears and sighed. "Fluff, I am okay."

"I was so scared, Nick! I.. if you.. if you ever died, oh my God.. Nick.. I couldn't.. how would I be supposed to carry on?" she whispered, her breathing heavy, her purple eyes drilling holes in Nick's head. Her words made him soften, a small smile appearing on his lips. He felt that his heart started beating faster, but he wasn't entirely sure why. Though, he enjoyed it, it felt nice.

"Just carry on my legacy, Carrots." he stated, flashing her a loving smile. It was supposed to make her feel better, but she started crying even more. Nick had enough and swung his arms around her shoulders, taking her into a tight embrace. She didn't hesitate, she immediately threw her arms around his neck and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, sobbing uncontrollably. Nick caressed her back, his head resting on hers.

"Shhh, it's fine." he kept soothing her, until she finally calmed down a few minutes later.

As her breathing became steady again, Nick released her from his grip and just gazed into her eyes for a moment, making sure she's alright. She gave him a reassuring nod accompanied by a sweet smile. Nick sighed and came to a laying position again, his paws resting on his belly, his eyes focused on the ceiling. Holding Judy was such a thrill, such a nice and tingly feeling. It was marvelous, but also awfully wrong. He gritted his teeth faintly, hoping he would be able to concentrate on their friendship. The last candle lapsed and it became entirely dark in the room, the smell of burnt wax reaching his nostrils. It didn't quite ease his misery at this very moment. He flinched mildly as he felt that Judy inched closer to him than usual. He glanced to his side and spotted Judy laying beside him, giving him a sweet look as if asking for permission. He got the clue and threw his arm around her, pulling her even closer. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat, one arm loosely placed on his belly. Nick had his arm resting on her shoulder and used his paw to fondle her soft fur a bit. She made purring sounds as she was enjoying his touch. A soft smile crept up Nick's lips as he looked down at her. She was one of a kind. He kept caressing her fur until he heard soft snores.

With that he closed his eyes as well, enjoying her presence, enjoying how close she was.

He knew this went beyond being friendly. This was considered cuddling. But if she needed his closeness to fall asleep, he would gladly be in service for that. He sighed blissfully, not able to stop smiling as he fell asleep while holding his dearest friend in his arm.

He just hoped he would still be able to view her as a platonic friend after tonight.

* * *

**Just felt the need to write a fluffy chapter. **

**In this chapter Nick is basically faced with his feelings for Judy, though he is still trying to suppress them. What do you guys think, how long will he be able to withstand? c; **

**Oops, what about Silver, though? Is he being honest? I have not decided yet, lmao. Let me know what you guys think of it. **

**Leave me a lovely, fluffy review, I appreciate them so so so so much! I love you readers, love your reviews, you're such a great support. **

**Hugs & kisses to all of you! xoxo**


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

* * *

Unique purple eyes fluttered open and checked their surroundings. Judy needed to moment to gain full conciousness. She blinked a few times before she felt a mild pressure on her shoulder. She lifted her head to look around and spotted Nick's arm still resting on her shoulder loosely. Last night's events flooded her mind and a wide grin appeared on her muzzle as she turned to look at Nick, who was still dead asleep. She studied his handsome face for a moment, feeling his chest heave up and down. Just then she realised that he's been shirtless all along, which made her ears pinken slightly. She gulped as she stared at his exposed torso, examining his cream fur with her paws, careful not to wake him. The cream-colored fur was even softer than his red fur, which caused her to stifle a giggle, covering her mouth with one paw to stay quiet as she continued to play with his fur.

Never had she ever had such a good amount of sleep. She felt safe and warm cradled up his arms. It was odd to feel attracted to a fox, mainly due to the way she was raised, but she couldn't help it. She was just a defenseless mammal, utterly and ... very sadly ... in love with her best friend. That shit sucked balls, but also filled her with the warmest waves of devotion.

As she felt his body vibrate her eyes darted to his face. He opened his eyes very slowly, needing a moment to get used to the daylight. Judy immediately removed her paw and flashed him a shy smile. Nick stared down at her and blinked hardly, not aware of why she was being so close and why his arm was ... holy crap. In a swift movement he removed his arm and sat up, staring at his feet. Judy was a little startled by his reaction and tilted her head.

"Well, good morning to you too. Yes, I slept well, thanks for asking." she mumbled sarcastically, surveying his face closely.

Nick got carried away last night, he knew it wasn't right to sleep beside her like that. It would raise her hopes up ... and his too ... and he didn't want that. Their friendship was too precious to him.

"Uhm, I'm glad." he said blankly before he got up and vanished into the bathroom without another word.

Judy blinked a few times, not sure what to think. She just wished he'd make up his mind for once. One moment he was all caring and affectionate, the next moment he was cold and distant. His change of attitude drove her nuts. Maybe she needed to confront him about it, their tension was undeniable after all, but then again she wanted him to make the first step, so she had to keep waiting.

"Patience is a virtue." she whispered to herself, before she got up and changed into her former outfit.

* * *

Nick exited the bathroom fully clothed. He went past Judy, who was sitting on his couch, into his open kitchen. Judy watched him as he walked by. He looked like he had bags under his eyes, which worried her a little.

"Did you sleep well? You look exhausted." she remarked, her tone concerned.

Nick didn't even look at her as he prepared a sandwich. "I'm fine." he said bluntly.

"Had a bad dream?" she asked, drooping her ears. Nick glanced at her shortly, shaking his head no, before he looked at his sandwich again.

Judy stood up and approached him slowly, her arms folded behind her back. Maybe this was because of her, but what if it actually was because of last night's atrocious events?

"Is it because of last ni-"

"No." he cut her off, his tone rough. Judy winced and nodded, feeling the need to respect his bleakness.

"You can talk to me-"

"I said no." Nick repeated, finally glancing at her, his expression blank and unreadable. He turned away from her and was now facing her with his back.

Judy nibbled on one of her claws nervously, not sure how to approach him. He seemed moody.

"So, when are we going to talk to this Silver guy?" Nick asked, still turned towards her with his back. Judy perked her ears up and arched an eyebrow.

"Whenever you're ready."

"I was born ready." he said in a raspy voice as he turned around to look at her.

"Hopefully, he's a handful." she remarked with a short chuckle.

"I couldn't have guessed." Nick snorted with an eyeroll. His behavior was really off and it bothered Judy to see him like this.

"Seriously, who annoyed you?"

"No one." he replied, cocking an eyebrow at his 'best friend'.

"You're weird." Judy stated blankly with a shrug.

"Then you shouldn't hang out with me." Nick snapped, immediately regretting the harsh tone he was using to talk to her. He closed his eyes with a sigh, trying to focus. "Sorry. Can we just get over with this?"

"Sure." Judy snorted sulkily as she turned on her heel to leave the apartment. Nick just watched her with drooped ears. He hated himself for the way he acting, but he couldn't help it, he needed distance. Spending the nights with Judy was one thing, but always being so close to her was unendurable for him. He felt more and more attracted to her by the minute and he just wanted to shut those feelings down, they were wrong and could ruin everything. He knew bunnies were affectionate creatures, but he could tell that lately there's been more to it. She was testing the waters with him and he couldn't tell if she was being genuine, or just messing with him. The uncertainty made him whimsical and he considered confronting her about it, but then again, it would be futile anyhow. So he decided to drop it, maybe he just needed some air or some distraction.

* * *

Nick exited the building and spotted that Judy was already sitting on the driver's seat, the look on her face told tales. She was impatient and probably pissed. Nick exhaled sharply and got into the car. He expected her to flip at him, but she didn't say anything, she didn't even care to look at him. Nick raised an eyebrow and hesitated to fasten his seatbelt.

"Carrot-"

"We have to stop at my apartment. I need my uniform." she cut him off before starting the engine. Nick didn't even get the option to answer as she turned on the radio. He gritted his teeth with a faint growl as he turned to stare out of his window.

The car ride was awfully quiet. Nick glanced at Judy from time to time, but her expression was stiff and her eyes were forcefully focused on the road. Gosh, bunnies were so easy to piss off. They arrived at her apartment and Judy exited the car wordless, slamming the door. Nick flinched as he watched her retreating figure through the windscreen. He pulled on his own ears, releasing a loud groan. This wasn't like him at all. He grew up being a hustler, no one could wear a pokerface as well as he could - but his mask was slowly cracking and he fucking despised it. He had sworn that he won't ever let anyone in - let alone prey! A bunny! His natural enemy! He couldn't do this. Foxes had weird mating habits and he was sure bunnies had too, so this wasn't gonna work out either way. Besides, their personalities were pretty different.

"_Get a grip_." he muttered to himself. He let go of his ears and stared forward, straightening his posture. He tried to force himself to wear his usual priggish grin, but his lips continued to curl upside down. He was frustrated, so God damn frustrated.

He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't even notice Judy approached the car again, now wearing her uniform. He winced as she opened the car door and hopped in. He glanced at her, his expression rather startled. When she finally glanced back at him, he flashed her a goofy grin. Judy gawked at him for a moment, before she huffed and started the engine, concentrating on the road. Nick rolled his eyes and continued to look out of his window. This was leading nowhere.

* * *

Silver was sitting in his room, staring at the wooden table infront of him. He was anxious and nervous. He wasn't able to get any sleep last night. Firstly he was totally nervous that he had to meet a fox today - he didn't want to be in the same room with him. Secondly Danny's words kept dominating his mind. What if ... what if he was capable of persuading Judy to leave the fox and come live with them, would be nice to have a doe around. Though, Judy would never be able to understand the demons Silver was dealing with, day in, day out. They crawled into his soul and tried to stop his heart from beating, but Silver was a fighter. His face expression straightened as he looked up. A fighter, yes. And a fighter could handle having a fox in his warren.

A knock on his door made him lose all his freshly regained composure and he winced harshly, drooping his ears.

"Master, the two officers have arrived." Danny remarked, noticing Silver's tense posture. "Shall I send them away?"

"No, no. Invite them in." Silver forced himself to say through gritted teeth. Danny nodded and left.

A few short moments passed and Silver felt his paws starting to tremble. He had to overcome a trauma. His eyes lit up as Judy entered his room, a short pang of hope that she left the fox at home hitting him. When Nick walked in a few moments later, he shuddered in disgust, but he tried to keep it together. He stood up and offered a polite nod to both.

"Welcome in my warren." he said, his tone slightly edgy. He couldn't help it.

"Well, explain yourself." Judy said sternly, crossing her arms. Her gaze was persistant and impatient. The fox beside her just looked around, his arms folded behind his back. It seemed like he did not want to be here either. Silver sighed as his eyes darted to Judy.

"I wasn't aware that my fellow rabbits were attacking you. They did not do it under my command, I can assure you that. I will take the blame, though, since I am the head of the pack, I am their leader and it was my responsibility. So, please, go ahead and arrest me, but I have one request." he said, his expression blank, his tone even. Judy cocked an eyebrow at his explanation. "I want to be arrested by you, Hopps."

Nick snorted and turned away. Judy stifled a chuckle, her posture softening.

"Silver, don't be silly. I won't arrest you over something you didn't do." she reassured him with a small smile. Silver looked a little puzzled, but soon decided to return her kind smile.

It was unusual for Judy to see Silver smile, but she liked it. Nick's eyes darted between Judy's face and Silver's face. As they both smiled at each other, the fur on his neck started to stand on end, but he knew he had to do everything in his willpower to suppress it.

"I hope you'll be able to forget those dreadful experiences. I know how hard it is to live with a trauma." Silver said, his smile fading.

"We'll be able to handle it, but we are here to make a deal." Judy replied. Silver arched an eyebrow and gestured her to continue. "We will let the incident slip under one condition."

Nick glanced at his partner, his expression rather bewildered. He had no idea what she was on about, but he was used to her making her own decisions. He started to check out his claws, feigning no interest.

"Tell me the name of the fox that attacked you."

Silver's eyes widened and he clenched his paws into tight fists. He wished he never had to mention his name again and if Judy was about to start her investigations, it would bring all back up. He closed his eyes and thought about it. He would rather go to jail a few weeks than having to deal with all this bullshit, but he knew Judy needed the name to crack the case. He sighed deeply as he opened his eyes again, looking directly into her hopeful purple ones. He felt so weak in her presence, like a toy.

"Tank." he said, his voice just above a whisper. Judy gasped, taking a step back.

"What did you say?"

"I said Tank." he said, his tone very edgy now.

"Holy crap." Judy blurted out, glancing at Nick shortly before staring back at the rabbit. "It all makes sense now."

"What do you mean?" Silver asked, crossing his arms.

"They mistook Nick for Tank because they look insanely alike."

"Correct." Silver stated bluntly, glancing up and down at the fox, his nose twitching with disgust. Nick was a little confused, but decided to let it slip. This was _her_ investigation as it seemed. He wasn't even sure if they were talking about _**the**_ Tank.

"I've heard about him. Nick knows him too." Judy pointed out, being a little thrilled that she finally found her suspect.

"That doesn't surprise me." Silver snorted, still looking at Nick. The fox frowned as he looked back at Silver.

"What are you implying?" he asked edgily.

"Oh, nothing." Silver said, turning to look at Judy again. "I wanted to apologize again." he said softly, offering her a warm smile. Judy once more returned his smile immediately with a polite nod.

"I'll be fine. You were a great help." her voice trailed off as she placed her paws on her hips, her expression turning thoughtful. "In fact, I owe you my life."

Nick gritted his teeth incomspiciously as he jammed his fists into his pockets, this was just getting more and more awkward.

Silver's expression was mainly blank, but his eyes showed some confusion. "I... uh..."

"Judy, don't we have to start investigating?" Nick threw in, his tone showing slight annoyance. Judy glanced at him with a shrug.

"Don't be so ungrateful."

Nick actually released a mortified gasp as he glared at her. "Ungrateful? You expect me to be grateful that his bunch of psychotic rabbits almost killed me? I'd rather not."

"Oh, yesterday you seemed so forgiving, sorry." Judy snorted sarcastically, crossing her arms. She knew this was way beyond unprofessional, but she couldn't hide how annoyed she was by the fox's attitude.

"You roasted me for that, remember?" Nick said accusingly, crossing his arms as well as he turned towards her. Judy turned back towards him, wearing a dark frown.

"So? I've changed my mind. Something you're obviously used to." she snapped. She was totally refering to his odd change of behavior, but Nick didn't quite catch the clue.

"What you on about, rabbit?"

"Oh, since when you're degrading me on my species?"

"Uh, guys?" Silver chimed in, his ears drooped. He looked hella uncomfortable, watching the two sort out a fight. "You fight like an old married couple, it's freaking me out."

Judy glanced at him, blinking a few times, before she locked eyes with Nick. The fox stared at her with anger, he was literally fuming.

"Not like that could ever happen." he grumled darkly. Judy just stared at his face for a moment, her expression utterly shocked, feeling like she had just been shot. Did he just point out that he would never want her infront of another mammal, infront of a witness?

"Oh, good. Are you free tonight, then?" Silver asked hopefully before Judy got the option to answer Nick. She immediately turned her attention towards the white rabbit, drooping her ears.

"Uh, wha-"

"She is. She is definitely down." Nick responded for her, flashing Silver an obviously faked smile.

Judy clenched her paws and glared at Nick, she felt the need to slap him, but decided to stay calm.

"Right, yeah. I'm down." she said, her knees a little shaky as she tried to hide her anger and her hurt.

"Awesome, can I pick you up at your place tonight?" Silver asked. His intention wasn't really to hang out with Judy, he wanted to distance from her emotionally, to be exact. But the situation was just too inviting. He enjoyed pissing the fox off, hoping he'd stomp out of his room any moment. Though, he kept his amusement hidden under a straight mask. Maybe tonight would finally give him the oppurtunity to persuade Judy to stop working with a predator. He had to try. He couldn't deny that he somehow felt drawn to the adorable bunny, but he couldn't quite figure out why. He had no ulterior motives, at least none sexually inspired, but this was his chance to sort Judy's life out.

Nick frowned at Silver, showing him how much he disliked him. Afterwards he just exited the room without another word.

Judy started tapping her foot on the wooden floor, not able to hide her annoyance any longer.

"I think he's on his period, don't mind him." she apologized, to which Silver gave her a reassuring nod.

"Clearly."

"I will text you my adress, if that's okay."

"Fine by me."

"Right, see you tonight." she said, offering him one last friendly smile, before she exited his room. Silver watched her leave, feeling how hurt she internally was. She was good at hiding it, but Silver could see right through her, they were both bunnies after all and no one knew bunnies behaviors as good as fellow bunnies. He drooped his ears mildly, feeling a sting of guilt for ruining the mood between them. It was clear that they had a deep connection and he was planning on destroying it, somehow it felt wrong. Normally Silver wasn't someone to think about other mammal's feelings, but with Judy it was a little different. He was going to meet up with her tonight, so he had very limited time to make his decision. Maybe she would suffer without the fox, maybe she would feel way better. But was it his place to tell? Not necessarily.

Whatever he was going to do, he was determined to make her smile. The thought of spending private time alone with her was somehow alluring, but he wouldn't dare to touch her in any way. He wanted to keep things nice, clean and casual.

She had listened to his problems, now it was time to return the favor.

* * *

**Maybe, just maybe, Silver is a good guy deep within his heart, he is just emotionally (as well as physically) scarred. **

**Maybe I am just hustling you, though?! Mwahaha. We will see, what's your guess? **

**Uh oh, Nick seems to have some serious trust issues, which is kinda similar to Silver, so why don't they get along? So confusing, right? xD **

**Can you relate to why Judy seems so mad at Nick or is she exaggerating? **

**Please tell me your thoughts, they inspire me so much! xoxo**


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

* * *

Nick was already sitting in the car, scrolling through his phone, as Judy jumped in and fastened the seatbelt. She glared at the fox, which caused him to glance up at her with an arched eyebrow.

"What is your problem, Nick? It feels like you need to visit a mental health institution." she snapped, frowning. Nick stifled a chuckle.

"Carrots, don't worry about my health. I am perfectly fine."

"No, you're not. You're literally just a pain in the tail. I don't know you like that." she snorted, crossing her arms.

"Well, you should start hanging out with Silverado then, no? 'Cause we have to be so grateful. I thought paying him back with a date would be a nice one, don't you think?" Nick said, wearing his usual priggish grin. Normally Judy enjoyed seeing him like this, but right now he pissed her off.

"Screw you." Judy hissed darkly, which made Nick frown in surprise. She started the engine and drove off at high speed, turning on the radio really loudly. Nick surveyed her for a moment, before he decided to stare out of the window.

They arrived at the ZPD and Judy stopped the engine with a sigh. She turned to Nick with a sad expression. Nick wrinkled his nose as he looked back at her, he was still mad as hell, even though he wasn't even sure why he was feeling this way.

"I thought we're friends." Judy said faintly, her eyes dropping to the floor.

"We are. Friends." he said bluntly with a shrug.

"You're not quite acting like one."

"Neither are you."

Judy looked up and locked eyes with him, looking a little confused. "Why?"

Nick simply snorted and got out of the car without answering, since he didn't quite know how to answer her question. She was not acting like a friend because he knew there was more to it, but he couldn't possibly confront her with that. She'd either deny it or slap him. He slammed the door behind him and went straight into the ZPD building.

Judy just watched his retreating figure, at first kinda shocked, but soon her expression turned fierce and the volume of her breathing increased. She could literally feel her nostrils become wide while breathing.

"God dammit." she muttered before she stomped into the ZPD, directly into her office.

* * *

Judy was sitting in her office, using her computer to gather information about Tank. She had found a picture of him online and was a little surprised, since he almost looked identical to Nick, the only difference were their eyes, since Tank had a way darker shade of green than Nick. Still, they could've been twins. He had already been arrested twice - mayhem and substance abuse. Judy frowned, she never knew Tank had a criminal background story, since Mandy never told her this. One thing was for sure, Judy would have to meet with Mandy once more.

She scrolled down the database, looking for any clues. He had never been married and other than his two arrests, he was a pretty incomspicious fella, trying to avoid the police. She found some more pictures and it awed her how much he actually looked like Nick, it was crazy. No wonder these rabbits went nuts as they saw Nick, they totally mistook him for Tank.

She searched for his relatives and found out that there wasn't a date of birth recorded, neither who his parents were. She arched an eyebrow in suspicion, scrolling down. She was very cautious not to miss a hint.

And there it was - his only relative left - his younger sister.

_Trisha Graham. _

Judy's eyes widened, this was all such a big riddle. Trisha was Felix's girlfriend and they both went missing a week ago, Tank was Lizzy's ex-boyfriend, but apparently also the missing vixen's brother. Judy's head started spinning, this all didn't make sense anymore. She printed a few sheets and a few pictures, she had to show them to Mandy ... and unfortunately she _had_ to talk to Lizzy.

* * *

A certain white vixen was preparing dinner, humming one of her favorite songs as her phone buzzed. She twitched her ears cautiously and hurried into the livingroom to pick it up. She hesitated to draw the phone towards her ear as she glanced at her sister, who was taking a nap on the couch. It was officer Hopps on the phone and Mandy had to avert Lizzy eavesdropping the conversation, so she hurried into the bathroom and locked the door, her breathing quite heavy, which worried the grey rabbit.

"Mandy?"

"Oh, hello!" Mandy's sweet, angelic voice chirped, even though she was obviously faking it. Lizzy still didn't know that Mandy had met with Judy once and told her about their insane uncle Diesel. Lizzy wouldn't be amused to find out, so Mandy had to keep this conversation a secret. She didn't want Judy to know how much she actually feared her sister, though.

"Are you alright?" Judy asked worriedly.

"Yes, I'm fine. What about you?"

"Meh, I am okay, I guess. Mandy, I need your help." Judy stated, her tone rather earnest. Mandy gulped and nodded, although Judy of course couldn't see her through the phone.

"Shoot."

"I need you to meet up with me in private. Actually, it would be marvelous if you could manage to visit me in my office tomorrow. I have some important questions and I am pretty confident that you're carrying my answers."

Mandy hesitated to answer. Instead, she just stared at the floor for a moment. So they finally had their lead, it had to be Diesel after all. And she was the key witness, she was the one who was supposed to help arrest him, but she couldn't possibly do that. Not because she cared about her uncle, but she cared about her sister Lizzy - and Lizzy would not be happy to hear that Mandy brought their uncle behind bars. Mandy let out a long, sorrowful sigh.

"I am sorry, Judy. I can't make it."

"Thursday is also fine, but I need my answers as soon as possible, mammals are in concrete danger." Judy replied, her tone a little impatient.

"No, I mean... I can't help you. I won't do it." Mandy replied politely, drooping her ears.

Judy was pissed off enough as she was already and this didn't quite pitch up her mood. She clenched her tiny paws and gritted her teeth.

"Mandy, you're an important witness, I can't solve this case without your help. Your former friend Trisha could be in serious danger and you're just gonna back out of this? We finally found our suspect and it's against the law to tell you who it is over the phone, but I can assure you that only you - or maybe your sister - could help me save these poor missing mammals. This case is getting bigger and bigger and we can't wait or hesitate anymore. Felix and Trisha went missing over a week ago, everything could've happened to them by now. Have a heart, Mandy, and stop doing everything for Lizzy's sake. This isn't about pride and this isn't about Lizzy, this is about a slaying, a ruined life and missing animals. Please."

Mandy opened her mouth to answer, as she heard a faint knock on the door.

"Mandy, you in there?" Lizzy asked, pressing her ear against the door. Mandy's eyes widened in shock and her breathing increased massively.

"I'll call you back." Mandy stammered into the phone before she hung up without another word. She stood up, straightened her posture, slipped her phone into her pocket and exhaled sharply, regaining her composure.

"Yeah, why?" she asked, unlocking the door. Her chocolate eyes met Lizzy's blue ones. The black vixen's stare was persistant, causing Mandy to gulp.

"Who were you talking to?" Lizzy asked in a raspy voice, crossing her arms.

"N-No one."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a terrible liar?" Lizzy said, her posture softening as she chuckled. "You were probably trying to sing along to your favorite song and didn't want to wake me, am I right?"

Mandy blinked a few times before an awkward grin crept up her muzzle. "You know me too well, heh~."

Lizzy punched her sister's shoulder lightly and snickered.

"You'll never grow up, huh?"

"Guess not." Mandy replied, her tone very submissive, but Lizzy didn't pay attention to it. The black vixen started rambling about her dream, which involved Nick and all that stuff, but Mandy zoned out, thinking carefully about Judy's words. Somehow the little bunny chose wise words. Mandy would have to consider dropping a visit at the ZPD tomorrow, she needed to know what Judy had found out.

She couldn't break it to Lizzy just yet, though. She would probably need to think of an excuse to leave the house early tomorrow, hoping her sister wouldn't follow her, since Lizzy tended to be a little paranoid.

* * *

"Beep-beep-beep." was the sound that chimed from Judy's phone after Mandy hung up without a consent of showing up. Judy groaned in frustration as she hung up the phone, pulling on her own ears to calm down. This was such a bad day.

A harsh knock on her door didn't make it better. She perked her ears up again and turned in her chair to look at the door.

"It's open." she called out.

Her huge buffalo superior entered the room, his expression rather serious as he crossed his arms and stared at his rabbit officer.

"Hopps, where are the case files? I am disappointed that you haven't found a suspect yet. These mammals could be in great danger." he said in a low voice. Judy forced a grin as she showed him a picture of Tank.

"This is our suspect, Sir. We just have to find out where he's currently settled."

Bogo's eyes widened as he snatched the picture from Judy's paws and took a closer look at it. Shortly afterwards his eyes wandered back to Judy. He was bewildered.

"Hopps, is this a joke? Is this Wilde?"

"No, Sir. It's Tank Graham. Though, Nick and I got attacked last night as we tried to talk to a witness, who mistook Nick for this guy on the picture. Tank's last known whereabouts was a house in the middle of Zootopia, where he lived with his fiance. However, he broke up with her a few months ago and left town. He has never been sighted since. We are looking out for him and I am sure we'll find him soon." Judy declared confidently.

"We can't be losing any time, then. Talk to his ex-fiance."

"I will, already invited .. her .. to my office tomorrow. I hope she shows up." Judy said, her voice trailing off as her ears drooped. "There's another important thing I need to mention, though. One of the missing mammals is a vixen, who's supposedly in a relationship with the missing rabbit. However, the vixen seems to be our suspect's sister, which obviously makes this case way more complicated than it already is. I am on it nevertheless."

"Awesome work, Hopps. Keep it going and hurry, we need to save these missing mammals as soon as possible. If you require any help, you know where to find me." he said with a polite nod before he left Judy's office again.

She watched him leave, biting her lower lip in agony as she kept hoping that Mandy would actually show up. If not, she had no idea how to solve the case.

X X X

After finishing some more research and some paperwork, Judy looked out of her window, where it was already dark. A huge storm was coming up and she could hear the rain smack against her window. She sighed, her ears droopy. There was so much on her mind right now, she didn't even know on what to focus first. This case had many big twists and at the moment it seemed she had to overcome them by herself, since Nick wasn't really helping her at all.

His behavior was irksome and annoyed her. She met him as such an open-minded and tough mammal, but right now he was only a shadow of his usual self. His mood swings were extreme. One day or another she would have to confront him about it, but she felt unsure. She thought falling in love with him could ruin their friendship, but it seemed like it was already ruining itself just like that. And he was aggravating it, starting pointless fights and avoiding her for no reason.

Anyhow, it was time to go home and ... meet up with Silver. She groaned in annoyance, she wasn't feeling like going out at the moment, especially not with some jerk that was going to talk about his prejudices. She rolled her eyes and left her office, walking into the main hall of the ZPD, where Clawhauser was just packing his stuff to go home as well. He was humming some song from Gazelle, a goofy grin glued to his lips.

Judy approached him with a timid smile. "Clawhauser."

He turned to her, his grin widening. "Hopps! I heard you've found a new lead on our biggest case. Congratulations! Having such a tiny officer is really paying off. You guys are more ambitious."

"Thank you." Judy chirped with a victorious grin, placing her paws on her hips. Though, her grin faded soon. "Have you seen Nick?"

"Oh, he called sick. He left the ZPD several hours ago. You didn't know?"

"Uhm.. actually, no."

"Well, now you do."

"I guess, thanks." Judy said, her mind starting to race. It wasn't like Nick to call in sick over such nonsense, he was acting beyond weird. "I will just conquer this storm by myself then." Judy said weakly, forcing a chuckle.

"I'm sure you'll be fine!" Clawhauser chirped with a nod.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

With that, Judy exited the large doors of the ZPD with droopy ears. The wind was very strong and cold, so she hugged herself tightly and walked home.

On her way she couldn't stop thinking about Nick, but was also a little jittery about her upcoming 'meeting' with Silver. She was wondering about what he could be wanting from her. Was he in need of a friend or was this something bigger? She sighed as she reached her apartment building and went inside.

She got rid of her uniform and took a long, hot shower, since she was freezing. Afterwards she got into some comfortable clothes, it wasn't like she felt the need to impress Silver - he was just a suspect/witness. Though, Bogo shall never find out that she was meeting him in private, which was basically Nick's fault, since he dragged her into this with his ignorant behavior. A muffled growl escaped her mouth at the thought.

She placed herself on her small bed and grabbed a blanket. She took her phone and texted Silver her address. With a mournful sigh she leaned back against her wall and turned her tiny TV on, seeking some distraction.

Her attention was drawn towards her phone again as it buzzed. It was Silver.

"_I'm on my way._"

Judy read his message and sighed once more, feeling a little tense about this whole thing.

* * *

**Well, yeah. There are a lot of twists in here, huh? MIND BLOWN~ **

**So, Tank is supposedly the culprit and the missing vixen is actually his sister? That means he just has to have something to do with it, right? Right? We'll see. ;D **

**However, Nick obviously still isn't capable of making up his mind, which I think is pretty comprehensibly, but what do I know? xD **

**I've known someone like that - constant mood swings, not able to make up his mind, whatever - and of course it's annoying, but these people most likely have reasons for their odd behavior. So does Nick, so just hold on and be patient. **

**Been getting some really rude PM's about this story, so for a moment I thought about discontinuing it, but it's too much fun to write. **

**Don't like it? Don't read it. (: Stop spamming me with rude sh*t, I know what I'm doing. **

**Do like it? Leave a review! (: xoxo **


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

* * *

Judy was looking through her channels as she heard a soft knock at the door. Her ears twitched and she got up. As she opened the door, she was a little startled to see Silver holding a bouquet of flowers. She blinked a few times before she locked eyes with the tall rabbit.

"These are for you, officer." he said politely as he offered her the flowers. Judy gulped loudly, feeling a little uncomfortable. His gesture was kind, but somehow weird. She took the flowers and forced a small smile.

"Oh hey, thanks. How thoughtful."

"Where would you like me to take you?" he asked. His blue eyes gave away how nervous he was, which confused Judy.

"To be honest, I would like to stay at home. I am sorry, I can see you've cleaned up nicely, but maybe we could just sit and talk, if you don't mind." she said timidly. Silver tilted his head slightly, but gave in with a nod.

"Sure."

Judy invited him in and placed the flowers in a nice vase on her nightstand. Silver looked around her tiny apartment, before he placed himself on her bed. He looked at all her stuffed toys with an arched eyebrow.

"Do you fancy something to drink?" Judy offered politely, still adjusting the flowers. Silver politely declined her offer as he examined some of her toys.

Judy sat down beside him and crossed her legs underneath her, her body turned to Silver.

"Soooo..." she said, her voice trailing off. This was already getting awkward. Silver turned to look at her and offered a timid smile.

"Well, how was your day?" he asked.

"Oh, cut the crap." Judy blurted out, her eyes widening at her own words. Silver was taken aback for a moment, but shook it off with a chuckle.

"Officer, never knew you had such a rough side."

"I am sorry, I didn't mean it. I just want to know why you wanted to see me." she apologized, her ears drooping mildly.

"I have no ulterior motives, if that's what you're implying." Silver said, raising his paws in defense. This caused Judy to stifle a snicker.

"That's not what I meant, dummy."

"I just wanted to talk."

"About what?"

"Whatever you please." Silver replied with a shrug.

"Look, Silver. I know something's bothering you, so stop beating around the bush."

Silver's posture became a little submissive as he drooped his ears and stared to the floor. "Well, seems like you're a real officer after all, you caught me." he said with a timid chuckle, his eyes darting towards Judy again. "I came here to apologize once more, hence the flowers. I want you to know that I truly didn't know about the attack, I did not set it up, since I didn't even know that your partner wanted to talk to me. I started some really huge fights with some of my fellow bunnies, I was insanely mad at them. I even considered to have some of them leave the pack, but without me they'd be doomed. I don't want them to end up on the streets, you feel me?"

"I do believe you, Silver. However, it still is your fault all of this happened. If it weren't for your disdain against foxes, they wouldn't have done that. You brainwashed them over years, they weren't thinking straight anymore, they were just following your commands. That is beyond wrong and I actually find your way of thinking disturbing. Foxes are mammals like everyone else, they belong to the predator family, but so do lions, bears, tigers, even raccoons or otters. I have also met bunnies who have been rude or just idiotic, but that still doesn't mean that all bunnies are the same. A fox harmed you, scarred you, took away someone important from you - which is dreadful - but there are other foxes. Just look at Nick, he is a fox with an attitude, I'll admit, but he's still willing to make this world a better place, fight for justice and for freedom. You gotta respect that."

"Lesson learned." Silver said with a proud grin. He was faking it, he hadn't learned anything. His despise against foxes was still the same, but somehow the grey rabbit infront of him had a valid point. Her belief in her partner was admirable, he had to be special, even though he just looked like Tank, who was most likely the most hated mammal for Silver.

"No, you haven't." Judy stated, crossing her arms.

"I am trying, I really am." Silver admitted with a sigh. "It's hard, you know? Every time I look into the eyes of a fox, I see Tank. I see how he tricked me in becoming his friend and how I actually trusted him, 'cause I was a dumb teen. He was the cool guy, the fly guy, the guy everyone adored and looked up to and it was me who had the honor of becoming his friend, I was actually proud." his voice trailed off and he closed his eyes. "It surely was a little suspicious that he wanted to know that much about my family's background, but I wasn't aware that he could be a threat. Just imagine my mother would've been home - what would they've done to her? They were three, we were three. Don't think I don't know how they calculated everything. My father was for one, my mother for the other one and I was meant for Tank. He was vicious, but somehow he couldn't kill me, which I somehow appreciate, but he still ruined my life, dragged me into deep depression, substance abuse and more. I was a wreck and my youth was everything but easy. I started dealing drugs at 16, because I needed money and well, I ended up taking them, because I lacked sleep and just wanted to die. I felt so ugly, so miserable. I still do, but I stopped taking drugs a few years ago, because they ruined me even further. I have a lot of suicidal thoughts and let's be honest - I owe this agony to a fox, so what do you expect?"

Judy was shaken by his speech. She knew that Silver was hurting, but she didn't know it was that bad. She drooped her ears as she surveyed his expression. It was sorrowful and hurt. He clenched his paws into fists and gritted his teeth as he stared out of her window.

"I just want to go to heaven and see my father. I want to apologize. It was my stupidity that got him killed. Without me befriending a fox, he could still be alive. He had to suffer such a painful and slow death, he was defenseless and scared. And my mom? She couldn't handle it. She loved my father so damn much, she couldn't picture a life without him, so she hung herself shortly after his funeral. It was me who found her corpse dangling from the ceiling in her room. I can't shake that image. I lost both parents in the most tragic way within two weeks... and it was all because I befriended a fox."

Judy's eyes became watery, she felt so much compassion for the white rabbit. He seemed so tough and intimidating, when in reality he was falling apart. She rested one paw on his shoulder, trying to keep herself from crying. His story was just so touching.

"Silver." she said in a shaky voice. "I am so sorry, I don't even know what to say. Whenever you need a friend, I am here."

Silver turned to look at her, her touch soothed him slightly. He sighed as he tried to crack a sad smile. He nodded to acknowledge her offer.

"Thank you." he said, his voice just above a whisper. "This is the reason it's so hard to work with your partner. It's nothing personal, but especially officer Wilde awakes my darkest memories."

"Because he looks like... him."

"Exactly."

A moment of silence between the two mammals passed. Judy removed her paw slowly and used it to wipe away a tear.

"It's not your fault, Silver. You did nothing wrong. You were a teenager happy to be friends with a popular guy, that's a common thing. I am sure your father ain't mad at you, I am sure he was upset that you were drowning your sadness with alcohol and drugs. As for your mother, I understand her agony, I really do, but she shouldn't have left you all alone in this world, you were only 13 and not able to take care of yourself. And the final thing is that you're not ugly at all. You're still one handsome fella, those scars tell a story and I am glad you told me." she said, flashing him a sweet smile.

"Thank you for your kindness. You are actually the first rabbit I've ever told this story in detail, yet you're the first who isn't trying to talk me into hunting Tank down and slay him. It's odd." he admitted, biting his lower lip.

"Silver, I'm a cop."

"Yeah, right."

"Did you know that Trisha is Tank's sister?" Judy asked. Silver frowned in surprise.

"She is? That's why they look so similar."

"So you weren't aware that Felix was dating your foe's sister? Please be honest."

"Are you suspecting me or something?" Silver asked, crossing his arms with a cocked eyebrow. Judy vigorously shook her head.

"No, no, no. I just want to make sure."

"I had no knowledge."

"Did you ever tell Felix about your background story?"

"I did."

"Did you mention Tank's name?"

"I did."

"Holy crap." Judy breathed, her eyes widened. This puzzle was slowly making sense. "What if Trisha found out the truth about her brother and maybe threatened him to go the police and Tank saw no other way than to...-"

"Makes sense." Silver said bluntly, shrugging.

"Oh no.. I need to find them! Do you have any idea where Tank lives now?"

"If I knew, Hopps..." Silver said, his voice trailing off. Judy got the hint and nodded.

"You're right, I suppose."

"So, now I want to talk about you." Silver said, changing the subject. Judy twitched her ears in confusion as she locked eyes with Silver.

"What do you mean?" she asked a little confused.

"I may be ugly, but I am not dumb. What is this thing between you and your partner? Even a blind mammal can see the sparks between you two." he stated, his tone rather earnest. Judy felt her ears getting hot as they pinked, so she drooped them to hide it. She chuckled awkwardly.

"I don't know what you're implying."

"C'mon, cut the crap."

"What are you even talking about?" Judy asked, a slight annoyance heard in her voice, which made Silver chuckle delightfully.

"You've got the hots for him, don't you?"

Judy's eyes widened and she turned her gaze towards the floor. She took a deep breath before looking at Silver again. She felt comfortable around him and tried to push the thought that he despised foxes away for a moment.

"He's rejecting me." she admitted with a long sigh. Silver arched an eyebrow, his facial features becoming soft.

"He's stupid."

"It seems like he can't make up his mind, maybe he's scared of prejudices."

"Probably. Could be that he needs some space to think it all through. A relationship between a fox and a bunny can be pretty complicated. I would know, Felix told me a lot."

"What do you mean?" Judy asked, a little confused. It was embarrassing to talk about this, but somehow Silver seemed very understanding.

"Well, foxes and bunnies are very different. Simply the height difference can lead to complications. The differently shaped snouts, the different mating habits, the different eating habits, everything. He is probably scared of hurting you, so he's pushing you away, for your own safety." Silver declared, offering a reassuring smile, which Judy returned.

"Still, he could at least tell me what's bothering him instead of being so rude, causing pointless fights."

"Maybe he's immature and finds no other way. Breaking down a wall and letting someone in isn't something everyone can do. Maybe he struggles."

"We are still friends and I can't help him to overcome his struggle if he refuses to talk to me about it." Judy said sulkily with a sigh.

"He has trust issues. I dislike the guy, but if you feel something for him, you need to make the first step. Seems like you're more of a rational thinker than he is. He needs your help. Perhaps he ain't even sure what he's feeling for you and still needs some time to figure it out. Give him some space, he'll come around." Silver said reassuringly, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Feels weird to talk to you about this, honestly. How come you're so understanding?"

"I like you, that's why. You've been listening to my problems, so it's my honor to return the favor, no matter what I think of it." Silver stated matter-of-factly.

"I just hope he ain't pushing me away because of that incident the other night... perhaps he's afraid of rabbits now."

"Nonsense. He knows you well enough and you were willing to sacrifice your life for him, Judy. How could he ever change his view on you? I dislike foxes, but I still know that they're very sly."

"He is so... ugh. One day all affectionate, the other day he rejects me."

"He can't admit that it hurts him. It hurts him that he is weak. You got to his weakest point - his heart, even though he swore himself to never let anyone in. It hurts. I know what I am talking about." Silver declared, his eyes showing some sorrow. He was referring to his own feelings towards the grey rabbit, which he had to hide under his mask. It wasn't exactly love, but he felt very drawn to her, so he assumed that Nick felt the same way.

Judy needed a moment to proceed Silver's words, rubbing her chin in a thoughtful way. "Do you really think so?"

"I know so."

"How come you're trying to help me instead of talking me out of it?"

"It isn't my place to ruin your fantasies or desires. I did that mistake with Felix and now he's missing. I've learned my lesson."

"You have my deepest appreciation, Silver." Judy said softly, offering him a kind smile.

"It's nothing."

"It is. I couldn't talk about this to anyone, it feels so good to finally have someone listen to me. I know my drama is pointless compared to yours, but I still enjoy it. Thank you."

"Love is never pointless." Silver said with a shrug.

Judy wasn't aware that she was putting Silver through hell with her words. He just wished he could find someone like her, but her heart seemed to be taken, so his chances were very little. Only because he genuinely liked her, he didn't dare to destroy her luck. Being so understanding was hard for him, but if it made Judy happy, it was okay, he would endure it.

"At first I thought you're very scary, but it seems like you're very kind, just hiding under a nasty disguise." Judy pointed out with a smile.

"Oh, I have a nasty soul, believe me. You just managed to get me to show my chocolate side."

Judy had to giggle at his statement. Her sweet giggle made Silver smile.

"I like this side of you."

"Thank you. Anyhow, I don't want to bother you, it's pretty late. I should get going, if you ever need anything, just call me." he said as he stood up.

"Thank you so much." Judy chirped as she jumped up to hug him tightly. Silver was a little startled by her affection, but soon decided to hug her back. Having her in his arms felt oddly satisfying, but he tried to push his thoughts away. She released him and flashed him a large smile.

"I think I now know how to handle the situation. I might as well talk to him right now." she said happily. It felt like a punch in Silver's stomach, but he kept a straight face.

"You do that. Good luck and good night." he said bluntly before he left.

Judy was really happy that she seemingly found a friend in Silver. She thought about his words once more and they made sense to her. She ran into her bathroom to get ready, she wanted to talk to Nick - tonight.

And nothing was going to stop her.

If only she knew.

* * *

Silver arrived at his warren with droopy ears. He went into his room and slammed the door shut behind him. He turned on his radio, listening to some depressing instrumental tunes. He sank into his chair and cupped his face in his paws. It was so damn hard to keep his composure around the joyful grey bunny. She was so positive, always seeing the good in mammals, just the opposite of him. Perhaps it was the reason he felt so attracted to her. He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't hear his door open.

"Boss?" Danny asked, approaching Silver slowly. Silver looked up, his eyes red from suppressing tears.

"What?" Silver grumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"Are you okay? You look exhausted."

"I am."

"I've heard you went on a date with the rabbit officer." Danny pointed out, his expression rather worried.

"Who told you?" Silver asked in an edgy tone, glaring at Danny.

"Words travel fast, Boss." Danny stated with a shrug. "How did it go?"

"Just fine." Silver said bluntly.

"No, it didn't. What happened? What's up with the music?"

"Just leave me alone." Silver breathed.

"So, you obviously do like her after all, huh?" Danny asked, his ears drooping. He had never seen his boss so upset about something before.

"She's perfect." Silver whined as he slammed his head on the wooden table infront of him.

"Then what's the matter? You two suit very well." Danny pointed out, tilting his head.

"She's in love with a fox, it's hopeless." Silver said, his words muffled as his head was still on the table.

Danny's eyes widened and he drooped his ears even further. This was possibly the most horrible thing that could happen to Silver.

"I am so sorry, Boss." was all he managed to say.

* * *

**Chapter 19 for you guys, I hurried to write a new chapter, hope you like it. **

**Do you feel sorry for Silver? I surely do - a lot actually. T_T**

**He's been so understanding, even though it hurts him. That can only mean that he really likes her from the bottom of his heart. **

**Maybe he isn't such a bad guy after all, what do you think?**

**Let me know in the reviews! xoxo**


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